Gundam Wing: Gone to Hell in a Fruits Basket
by GundamWingGirls
Summary: He always knew that there was something... wrong about turning into an animal, no one else did when ever they got hugged. But then again, how do you ask someone something like that? [Fruits BaskerGundam Wing Xover] 1x2. [warning: sippy cups included]
1. Chapter 1

Gundam Wing Gone to Hell in a Fruits Basket

**Chapter 1**

The words in the report were blurring together. Holding the report in his left hand, Wufei put his right thumb to his right eye and right pointer finger to his left eye for two seconds, before running his hand down his face. He then pinched the bridge of his nose. After a moment of that, he tried to return to his report, only to see letters wondering across the page, like dancers would across a dance floor.

Wufei threw the report on the top of his desk. He had enough. He hadn't left his office for over forty-eight hours because of the incompetence of those around him. The rookies kept making mistakes that he had to clean up, and his superiors were not listening to any of his suggestions on how to make the situation any better.

Wufei leaned back in his chair, spinning it to a full 180 degree, so he could look out of the medium sized window behind him. The sun was out shining and he later swore that if he listened carefully, he could hear birds singing.

Wufei turned back around when he heard his office door open. One of his fellow employees was standing in the doorway, folder in hand. "No."

The young man balked for a second before he recovered. "You don't even know what I'm about to ask."

Wufei carefully eyed the man. "If it has anything to relate to that folder you're carrying, no." He then indicated the tall stack of folders on his desk that he had yet to get to. At least it was more manageable then it was two days ago.

The man held up the folder while slightly waving it. "Are you sure? It's right up your alley."

Wufei glared at the man. He knew that translated into that the young man didn't want to do the mission or didn't have time to do it. "Go ask someone else. I'm not interested."

The young man was about to protest when Wufei decided he had enough. He moved towards his computer to turn it off. He then got up and grabbed his jacket.

"Where are you going?" the man asked.

Wufei sized the man up before answering. "Home."

The young man looked appalled. "But it's only 10:30."

"And I've been living in this office for the past two days, dealing with the incompetence of those around me. Take the mission assigned to you, for I won't do it for you."

With that said, Wufei quickly ushered the man out of his office before leaving it himself. He then locked the door and headed down towards his car. He would not be returning today unless another war broke out, and then if only they really needed him.

The ride to his apartment was quick because there was no rush hour traffic to fight. Kicking off his shoes, Wufei made his way to his couch. He let his head fall back and he closed his eyes so he could relax. He never meant to take that three hour nap that sneaked up upon him.

The phone ringing brought him out of his slumber. During sometime during his nap, his torso slid to the side, causing the upper half of his body to be on the couch while his legs and feet were still off.

The phone ringing the second time brought Wufei out of his stupor. Reaching over, he picked up the handset. Quickly finding the on button, he put the phone to his ear. "Chang here."

The voice on the other end was trying not to snicker. "I'm surprised at you Fei. You're not at work. Don't tell me you're sick," teased the young male voice.

Wufei growled. "Maxwell, to what do I owe this pleasure?" He knew that no matter what he said, Maxwell would never stop using a nickname for him. At least it wasn't as bad as it used to be back during the wars. He was no longer Wu-bear or Wuffles or Wu-man. Fei he could handle. It was, after all, the last part to his name.

"Now that's the Fei I know and love," Duo joked before he got down to business. "Next week Hee-kun and I have been assigned a mission where you're at. Wanna hook up for dinner with us on Wednesday?"

Wufei let a small smile grace his lips. This only happened because no one was there to witness it and he would deny that it ever happened for many years to come. "How long are you staying?"

"At least two weeks, maybe a month. We plan on staying at a motel. No biggie."

Wufei smirked. "That's what you two get for being the best Preventers out there. Traveling around all the time and never staying in one place for too long."

"Aww… is Fei-kun jealous? Is he tired of being stuck behind a desk and filling out boring paperwork? Poor baby."

"Just for that, maybe I won't invite the two of you to stay here during your mission."

A brief silence filled the conversation before one could hear Duo say "A real bed, and real food? Please tell me this isn't a joke." Hope had filled his voice.

"Baka. Of course this isn't a joke."

"I'll talk to Hee-kun about it, but if we do stay, I insist that we help with the expenses."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Wufei knew how much Duo hated to take charity, whether it was needed for not. Duo would go out of his way to avoid it at all costs. "But promise not to go anywhere near my kitchen."

"Hey! I haven't started a fire in the past two months."

"That's only because Yuy hasn't let you near a kitchen."

"That's not funny Fei."

"Awe, did I hurt poor little Maxwell's feelings?" What Wufei wouldn't have given to see Maxwell's face at that.

Duo started to laugh. "Remind me that I need to call you more often. You're the only one who indulges me in these little spars anymore."

"That's because you actually have to fight to win."

Both knew that Wufei was right. Everyone else was either too easy to win against, didn't (or did in some cases but chose not to) have the wits to play the game, or they hardly ever talked.

"I'll call you later with our decision on where we're staying. Are you sure there is enough room for the both of us?"

"Maxwell, this is a three bedroom apartment. Granted one of those rooms are mine and another is an office, but I can clean that out for one of you while the other stays in the third room, that is, unless you two want to bunk together. Just try to keep the noise down."

"FEI! I can't believe that you just said that."

"Unfortunately, I've been picking up the Maxwell charm and tact."

"That's not funny, man."

"No, it's not." Wufei laughed at Duo's outrageous remark after that. "You better get going before Yuy thinks you're up to something, more so than normal."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll talk to ya later man. Take care."

"Bye." With that, the two hung up. Wufei walked to his kitchen to grab an apple before walking out to his balcony. While eating, he let his thoughts take him to the past and how he led a cursed life. Life was truly unfair to him.

Little did he know that it was also unfair to twelve other individuals.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Heero smiled to himself as he watched Duo bouncing around their hotel room, gathering things here and there, while singing along with his MP3 player. His braid was dancing along behind him, swinging with a life of its own and occasionally tapping its own rhyme on his firm little ass.

Shaking his head slightly, Heero looked back at his computer screen and focused on the travel arrangements he was trying to make. Since the war, there had been a few extremist' following in the footsteps of the Kushrinarda family and trying to start another war by doing things like blowing up busy space ports and blaming in on a terrorist group, or another colony. So spaceport travel and security had been improved in certain stations, and anyone trying to use the more privet docks had to have a lot to back them up; i.e. money, or being a top Preventer.

Typing away, his mind scanned back to what Duo had said about there staying with Wufei, which wasn't as bad as the time they had stayed with Hilde. He had been so nervous about… certain things, that he'd nearly screwed up his mission. It was also very early on in his and Duo's relationship, and had been forgiven on grounds of getting used to the closeness.

Heero glared at the tiny, un-noticed lump around his ankle where his secret was kept. Only Duo had really seen the small secret, and he'd never questioned why, accepting it as something akin to his own braid.

A memento of younger and harder years.

Staying with Wufei would be relaxing and more enjoyable to say the least; home cooked food from someone who **didn't** burn the kitchen down by accident –his eyes flicked over to watch Duo again as he danced to some old song or another- and sleeping in a bed that had an owner he could converse with. Being able to walk around in his shorts and not have stupid onna maids making moves on him and flirting.

Smirking, he remembered Duo's reaction the last time one of the maids had tried to flirt with him, thinking they were brothers, sleeping in the same bed to make it cheaper.

Duo had hid in the hall, waiting for the maid to come clean his and Heero's room. Heero was waiting in the room. His mission was to distract the maid while he put his plan into action. He knew that Heero wasn't too sure how to distract the maid, but he felt positive that the maid would try and flirt with his Hee-kun once more.

Once the maid went into their room, Duo put his plan into action. First he slipped silently over to the cart. Once there, he gave the cart the once over. Piles of TP, shampoo and conditioner bottles, little soap bars, lotion bottles, towels, washcloths, cleaning supplies, pillow mints, fresh bedding, and stationary supplies.

Smirking, Duo got out the superglue.

He first went for the TP. Unstacking it all, Duo glued the first roll to the cart, then gluing each roll to the other, except for the top two of each four rows. Next, he went for the shampoo and conditioner bottles. He neatly arranged them in the Tupperware they were in while using a special glue, that he had made, that stayed wet until human flesh touched it. It would take days until the bottle would even start to come off, no matter what anyone tried. He also did that to the lotion bottles.

Third, Duo went after the towels and washcloths. He glued the bottle towel/washcloth to the cart before gluing the next towel/washcloth on top of its counterpart.

Fourth, he put in a bluing agent into the cleaning supplies that would dye the maids hands blue while she was cleaning the room. It would also give her a rash in three days.

Duo decided to leave the bedding alone and went directly for the pens. Once more, Duo used the superglue. He glued each and every pen to the side of the cart, making a zigzagging design as he did so. After that, out came the wrench. Bending down on all fours, he loosened the wheels enough where they would fall apart within the next twenty feet.

Last but not least, Duo applied his special glue to the handle of the cart. That maid would be stuck to the cart for days.

Smirking at all that he had done, Duo started to head downstairs, only to stop to grab the bucket of mints, before he sent Heero the message that the mission was complete from the hotel's guest's business room.

"Hey lover," purred a voice in his ear as two arms suddenly circled his neck and shoulders, music playing loudly through headphones, but heard from the wrong side was close to the back of his head. A kiss landed on the back of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine as always, "you nearly done yet?"

"Need to e-mail the times to Chang and then we'll be going." He replied while opening a new message window on the screen. Duo grinned over his shoulder, kissing him on the cheek again before he got up and jumped on the bed, gyrating and dancing up until Heero threw a cushion at him.

"You know we don't have time for that, and if you start me off, you'll only regret it when we're caught," said Heero, forcing all his attention onto his laptop screen to avoid the sexy sly look that was on his lovers face.

"Again, you mean love?" He purred, his voice along making Heero's heart quiver in joy.

"Stop it!"

"Really?"

That voice again, but a lot closer. Heero shivered again and heard the almost silent snicker near him, "we don't have time." He said almost as a last defense, he was strong willed but when he wanted it as well…

Nether of them had done more than sleep in the bed they'd booked because there mission had been a search and destroy operation; eradicate the local gang lords as they were starting to give hints of fighting over more than the back streets and hookers, and with harder toys too.

He had an itch and it was starting to tickle.

"Why not my love?" The voice was right by his ear and there was that hot breath to go with the sultry voice, "we've left other hotel rooms in worse state's, lets give the stupid onna's something to talk about for a while."

Then it slowly left a trail of small hot kisses up his neck…

If Heero's laptop had had a voice it would tell a lowly tale of being thrown to one side on more occasions than it would have liked, due to the braided one teasing its owner to the point where he was thrown aside and his owner would grab the braided one.

Then they'd fight on the sleeping platform for a while.

Being a laptop, it just didn't understand why they would fight so much and enjoy it so, but then again, it was a laptop and so didn't understand, or even speak.

Good, because Heero would have gotten very embarrassed about the stories it would have to tell.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Wufei was once more in his office. How his self-imposed vacation got him thirteen new folders he had to go through, he didn't want to know. For all he knew, it could have been because of that one young solider who hadn't handed off that one folder to him like he had wanted to.

Sometimes he really hated the people he worked with.

Checking his e-mail once more, he frowned. He should have gotten a message from Yuy and Maxwell a few hours ago, let alone days, telling him when they were arriving today. If it was just Maxwell alone, that would explain everything. Maxwell tended to do things when he felt like they needed to be done, not when they were actually supposed to be done.

But Yuy, that was a different story. Yuy was never late with anything. He was always on time and did projects promptly. He was never one to slack when a job needed to be done.

The door to his office opened once more and in walked his temporary partner, Officer Daniel Christopher. "Ready?"

Wufei looked up, confusion marring his face for all but a fleeting moment before he remembered. He was suppose to go on a surveying mission for a few hours, trying to find out who the main boss was for the black market weapon selling for this area. So far they have had no luck, but that would hopefully change soon.

Logging out of his computer, Wufei grabbed his jacket and followed Christopher out to the car. Christopher drove down to the ghetto part of town before parking. Walking a few blocks, they found two Preventers already on top of an abandoned building.

"Any movement?" Wufei asked.

"None worth noting," said Officer Nobbs.

"No one has entered or left the building in the past two hours," added Officer Colon.

"We'll take it from here," said Christopher.

"Got it," replied Colon.

With Officers Nobbs and Colon gone, Wufei and Christopher settled in for a long wait.

Four and a half hours later found the pair entering back into Preventers HQ. Scowling at the total waste of time, Wufei made his way back to the office.

Wufei opened the door and blinked at the scene. While no one was in his office, he knew someone had been in there while he was gone. Two someone's if he was correct, Maxwell and Yuy.

One might wonder at how he knew this. It was true that no one was in his office; nothing was missing from his desk, or even moved. Nothing was out of place after all. What did tell him that someone was here was the two duffle bags that were sitting in a chair.

Knowing that it was Maxwell that picked his lock, Wufei closed the door and went to his chair. He needed a moment for himself before he had to deal with Maxwell.

Turning in his chair to look outside, Wufei slid partly down. This caused for his head to be covered by the back of the chair. Rubbing his temples, he enjoyed the peace and quiet for all of five minutes before looking for his two companions.

Leaving his office once more, Wufei started to wonder the halls. He was trying to think where Maxwell and Yuy would be. It was obvious that they were still here at the office. They wouldn't leave their bags behind if they decided to head to his apartment before him.

Heading up to the roof, Wufei found Duo leaning over the railing, enjoying the strong breeze with his eyes closed. Thirty feet away, Yuy was resting against the wall that held the doorway he was currently standing in.

"Yuy," said Wufei softly.

Yuy's eyes traveled over to Wufei for an acknowledgement before turning back to Maxwell. "Chang."

Maxwell hadn't turned around yet. This either meant he hadn't heard Wufie come up and start talking to Yuy, or he heard but didn't care.

"It's your job to make sure Maxwell goes nowhere near my kitchen. I don't care if it is just for a cup of water."

"He won't be happy to hear that." Pushing away from the wall, Yuy walked over the few feet that separated him away from Wufei. Once by Wufei's side, the two shook hands.

"I'd rather have a home to go home to."

Yuy gave a short laugh. "Mission accepted."

Maxwell turned around, looking betrayed. "Traitor, you're supposed to be on my side."

Yuy smirked. "If it's between you and actually staying somewhere that's not a hotel, I'm choosing Wufei."

"You just want a real bed and actual food," complained Maxwell.

"Damn straight."

Before Maxwell could complain more, Wufei cut in. "Thanks for the e-mail, Maxwell. I really appreciated knowing when you and Yuy were arriving."

Maxwell turned to Yuy. "I thought you sent him our flight times."

"That was your job, remember?" replied Yuy. At Maxwell's blank look, he explained more. "You agreed to send it to Wufei when you last distracted me."

Realization dawned on Maxwell, before he had the grace to look sheepish. "Uh… sorry?"

"Baka," said Wufei and Yuy together.

"Can we go now?" asked Maxwell. "There's nothing to do here. I'm bored."

Wufei couldn't believe his ears. Did Maxwell just say he was bored? Did that mean that he didn't set up any pranks for anyone to walk into? That had to be a first. "What? No pranks?"

Maxwell pouted. "Mr. Meany over there wouldn't let me set up any."

An evil thought hit Wufei, and he smirked.

Maxwell paled.

Yuy looked interested. "You're scheming. Plan to clue us in?"

Wufei looked between Yuy and Maxwell, his smirk growing. "There is someone I know that you could prank, that is, if Yuy lets you off your leash."

"Hey!" Maxwell cried out, in indignity. "I'm only on a leash because I want to be."

Wufei and Yuy laughed.

"Wait, that didn't come out right," said Maxwell.

"Just think up a genuine Maxwell prank, and I might consider letting you in the kitchen to make coffee," said Wufei.

"Genuine Maxwell prank?" Yuy asked.

"What else do you call his original pranks?"

"Bouts of idioticness."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Arriving back at Wufei's apartment and un-locking the door, Wufei held his breath in mild anticipation. He cared much for his old team mates and there were few people's opinions he cared for at all, but he was secretly hoping they would like his apartment and find it more homely then a hotel.

As he opened the door, and asked them to remove there shoe's at the door, he heard Duo whistle and relaxed, letting out his sigh as silently as possible. Duo walked in, his feet –one blue sock and one green sock- were sinking into the rug that was in effect the short hallway that led to the living room. There was a cupboard to there left and Wufei hung his coat and put all the shoes inside before following Duo and Heero into his living room.

"Wow Fei! You did good!" Everything was decorated in warm hues of golden orange and red, with minor splashes of bright red or deep green in some of the pictures on the walls. The three-person sofa faced towards a flat screen TV with a large rosewood coffee table between the two, a rug also underneath it. Where there were no rugs, there was shiny smooth wooden flooring in a deep rosewood color to match the coffee table.

"This is the main room," explained Wufei, smiling slightly, as he'd never shown off his own home to anyone before because during the war, making a place a home was dangerous to them all. Standing next to the TV he continued, "behind you both is the kitchen, or no mans land to you Duo."

"Don't have to rub it in Fei!" He sulked, "remember we had a deal!" Wufei smirked at Duo's antics, feeling a tug in his chest as Heero smiled at him warmly and told him to grow up for the billionth time. "Only on completion of the mission, baka!"

"Mission Accepted, Sir!" Said Duo, jumping up and snapping a salute. Wufei rolled his eyes and continued, "behind me is the bathroom, it's not massive but there's a full tub and space enough.

"To my right are the bedrooms, the door near the kitchen is mine, the middle is your room and the last is the office, it has a couch in there if you want to sleep apart," he smirked as Duo blushed lightly, "and most of my work is in there, files and such, so of course there's a special lock on that door just incase, and I think that's everything!"

"I must say I'm impressed with your style Wufei," said Heero approvingly as he gazed around the room again, "your taste matches my own in some ways. I could feel very much at home here."

"That's all I ask, besides that you keep the place clean." He said finally, before moving over to the kitchen, "now is anyone hungry?"

"I sure am!" Duo bounced suddenly as Heero took their bags to their room. Duo jumped over the sofa and bounced on to the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the living room, sitting his bum on one of the stools and grinning over at Wufei as he started removing things from cupboards and gazing in the fridge.

Like the rest of the apartment, most the things in here were covered in wood, this time a warm honey color, to help bring some more light into the slightly smaller space. "I tell ya, that spaceport food sure as hell ain't good for you, even I had to think twice before eating it!"

He laughed and Wufei smiled, 'of course, you'd of eaten anything at one point, wouldn't you? It's only since you've had Heero to guard you and help you that you've realized that rat's are finally off the menu. Now you make more money than most high ranking CEO's.'

Duo was rambling on about the state of the hotdogs at the space port again, and how the trip down to earth had been pretty smooth since they were training a new pilot who looked like he might have the magic touch, he himself had. Wufei listened as he spoke, nodding here and there, adding in his own parts and it was as he was adding the last ingredients to his stir-fry that it hit him.

This is almost how it was in the war, on those days when they would all be together in the small poky kitchen of one of Heero's crummy safe houses, Quatra sitting at the table with a cup of tea, Trowa in the corner reading a book with Heero at the table typing and him cooking, listening to Duo talking. He was usually playing some handheld game at the time or fixing some small electrical thing for one of them, and they would all be listening and talking. Sometimes… even laughing…

"Fei?" Said Duo quietly, Wufei jumped as he realized it came from right behind him, a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay? You spaced for a minuet there." Wufei smiled at him and returned his attention to the food on the stove, "I'm fine Maxwell, now get out of the kitchen before you make something explode out of nervousness."

Duo stuck his tongue out but danced out the kitchen, wiggling his butt and pulling a small radio out one of his many pockets. "You don't mind music do ya Fei?"

'It really was just like old times.'


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Smoke was bellowing out of the building in clouds that were rising up to the blue sky. All of the building's occupants were now out on the street, watching their building burn. Firefighters were running in and out of the building, trying to put out the fire that had suddenly started.

Rumors were going around of how the building actually caught fire. "It was faulty wiring. I bet my month's salary that was it." "I heard it was from a lit cigarette. Someone threw it away, while still lit, in a garbage can." "Culver was playing with matches again. Mark my words. This is all his doing."

Wufei and Heero stood back from the crowd, neither saying a word. They both just silently watched the building as the flames were starting to be controlled.

"Idiots, all of them," Wufei muttered while he pinched the top of his nose.

"Hn," Heero agreed.

Wufei suddenly realized something. "Where's Maxwell?"

"Somewhere in the crowd."

Wufei sent Heero a dirty look. "Jee, that _really_ helps." He better not be making matters worse, he thought.

Heero only smirked.

"Any idea where your boyfriend is in that crowd?" Wufei tried again.

"No."

Wufei almost face faulted.

Soon, all the flames were under control and becoming smaller by the minute.

"How are my two best buddies in the whole universe?" a voice called out.

Both Heero and Wufei refused to turn around to acknowledge Duo. "Maxwell," said Wufei while Heero replied with "Hn."

Duo joined the two, standing by Heero. He was carefully studying the two in a way that they wouldn't know they were being studied. The 'tricks' he learned from L2 still came in handy. It just so happened that now was one of those times.

"So, what have you heard? About the fire?" Duo asked.

"That either an individual idiot, or group of idiots, lit the offices on fire. Thank Kami-sama that this wasn't your doing in my kitchen back at the apartments," said Wufei."

Duo froze for all of two seconds. If one wasn't watching, they never would have known. Too bad that Heero and Wufei were able to catch that little slip and that Duo wasn't able to stop the seed of doubt that settled in their minds.

"Duo, do you know anything about this fire?" Heero asked.

"What do you mean?" Duo asked.

"No sidestepping the question, Maxwell. What do you know, specifically, about this fire?"

Duo knew his friends caught onto something that he'd preferred that they didn't. He would need to be careful from now on. Not only did he have to fool one, but two Gundam Pilots. This might be a bit tricky.

"What do you know?" Duo asked, fishing for information.

Wufei was scowling, arms crossed over his chest. Heero had his eyes trained on the sole braided, and sometimes idiot, pilot. His stance said that he wanted the truth, now, and he was going to use any method he possibly could to get it.

Duo, almost unnoticeable, gulped.

Heero and Wufei quickly met each other's gaze. That was all that was needed. They were positive now. Somehow, Maxwell had been the cause of all this.

"How?" Wufei didn't elaborate.

"You know, don't you?" Duo asked.

"Who did this, yes. Why and how, no," Heero responded. After all, he wasn't very happy that Duo had set fire to their contractor for this mission, before the mission had even really started. Worse off, it was done in Preventers Head Quarters.

"How in the seven hells did you ever manage this Maxwell?!" Wufei was fighting to stay calm. "And don't try to pass this off as the mission for the prank."

Duo looked around. "Are you sure you want to talk about this here? There sure are a lot of people about." He was stalling for time.

"And all of them are gossiping on what they thought happened," said Wufei.

"If any should overhear, they will merely think it's also gossip being passed here," Heero added. "Now Duo."

Duo sighed before telling his story.

(Flash back)

Duo was walking down one of the many hallways in the Preventer HQ. Heero and Wufei were pooling over a map and other documents that were important to both of their missions. While Duo knew that he should be interested, he just couldn't make himself to be.

While on his walk, Duo passed a small staff kitchenette. It had a refrigerator, a stovetop, oven, and microwave. There were also a few cupboards. Having nothing better to do, Duo stopped to explore.

"Yes!" Duo nearly shouted. He found a package or two of Hot Cocoa Mix and a tea kettle.

Feeling proud of his discovery, and of the fact, alone, that he was in a kitchen with no one telling him to be careful or he was going to blow something up. No one was around to even try to get him to leave. In fact, no one had the right to tell him to leave this kitchenette. Damn it, he wasn't banned from here yet and he planned on fully appreciating that.

Duo filled the kettle with water before putting it on the stove to boil. He then went to find the mug cups. As he was searching through a few cupboards, Duo never noticed the smoke that filled the room, nor the hot pad and dish towel catch fire. He was too busy trying to find that mug.

The flame grew bigger, crawling towards the wall that was ten inches away from it. Now this wall had hanging pot holders, hot pads, dish towels, and wash clothes, all dry and suitable kindle to help the fire grow.

And they did.

At the shrill sound of the smoke detector going off, Duo swore that he wasn't about to be able to enjoy a nice cup of Hot Cocoa. He then turned around. Frozen on the spot for ten seconds, Duo finally swore, loudly, as he figured out this was all his fault.

Again.

Why did this always have to fire trucking happen to him? It wasn't like he was trying to set this place on fire. Oh no, if that had been the case, a nice big boom would have also come along.

BOOM!!!

CRASH!!!

Duo winced and cringed in a little. He had spoken too soon. Thankfully the shooting oven door had barely missed him.

"Maybe I should get out of here."

A light fixture fell not even a foot from where he was standing.

"The sooner, the better."

(End flash back)

Wufei looked at Duo. He just looked at Duo. He had so many words that he wanted to call his companion that it would take the rest of the day to even get through half if it, the half that Duo would understand. The rest would be in Chinese and Mandarin and limited Russian.

How, on his first real day in the office, had Maxwell set the place ablaze?

"You are to never step foot in my kitchen, ever! I don't care for what reason, be it a cup of tea or someone dying in there, you. can. not. go. in! In fact, you are not even allowed to go within five feet of it." Wufei was getting a hold on his temper. It would not be good to let it rein free here.

Duo blinked. "Y-you serious… Tell me you're joking. I was just trying to make a cup of cocoa."

"And burnt the building down in the process. Duo, new rule. You are not allowed to go into any kitchen, unsupervised by at least five people. Also, you will need ten people with you before you even attempt to do something. Plus, these people need to be creditable not only in my eyes, but that also of Yuy's."

Duo's eyes had gone wide, unbelieving. His jaw was slightly opened. "You don't mean that. Heero, tell me he doesn't mean that!"

Heero looked down at his lover while taking both of Duo's hands in his own. "Duo," Heero paused a moment, trying to think out the best way to word what he had to say.

"Heero," hope was growing in Duo's eyes.

"You're not to use the kitchen here at work." There, Heero has said it. And now to wait for the reaction.

Blink.

Blink blink.

That didn't compute with Duo's brain. "Wha did ya say? I missed it."

Wufei saved Heero from repeating himself. "Yuy said that you, Duo Maxwell, the great Shinigame, all time super preveter, couldn't use the kitchen in HQ."

Duo looked at the two of them, eyes slightly glittery. "But it was just a cup of Hot Cocoa. I wasn't trying to set the place ablaze."

Heero wanted to sigh, but he held it back. "We know that Duo."

"Then why are you doing this?" Duo asked once more.

"To protect you, and us, from yourself."

"Heero!" Duo couldn't believe his ears.

"But if your lucky, maybe Wufei will teach you how to use a kitchen."

"I know how to use a kitchen, thank you very much!"

Heero continued, like he had not been interrupted. "That way, you will be allowed to go in and actually use a kitchen."

"The hell!" Wufei shouted.

"What!" shouted Duo.

By now there was a group of people looking at the trio. After Wufei growling at them, they all turned away and found something else for them to be occupied with.

"Why would I want to teach Maxwell how to use the kitchen?" Wufei growled out.

"So you won't have to worry about him blowing up your kitchen," Heero stated, as if it was as clear as day.

But before any more questions could be thrown, one of the female officers wasn't paying attention to what she was doing, and she ran smack into Heero.

Now, normally this wouldn't be such a big deal. Usually the party of the first would apologize to the party of the second for running into them. After that, the second party would say forget about it, that they're okay and ask if the first party is okay. Then, the two would laugh it off and go on their separate ways.

Too bad that wasn't what happened.

No, Heero had to do something that was unexpected, something that no one would ever guess to happen.

Heero turned into a cat.

"The hell!" Wufei shouted once more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It all relied on how fast Wufei was, he knew it and he blessed every hour he had ever spent training just so he could grab the cat before it hit the floor. Duo was talking/yelling at the girl who had bumped into his boyfriend and while they argued neither of them noticed Wufei running away with what seemed like an arm full of clothing.

After about five minuets of running, he stopped off in the local park, finding a secluded bench he sat down, panting for air while the small brown cat next to him struggled to get out of the pile of clothing. "Meow?" tried Heero.

"Don't worry Yuy, your secret is safe with me," said Wufei as he leaned back on the bench, staring at the clouds.

"What do you mean?" asked the cat as it moved to sit on the back of the bench, looking curiously at Wufei.

"You're the cat from the zodiac curse right? The thirteenth animal." He paused and lifted his head up to look into Heero's deep blue eyes. "It's okay Yuy. I'm not called The Dragon just because of Nataku." Heero smiled as best he could and moved to Wufei's lap, sitting there and looking up at him.

"What do you mean?" Heero asked.

"You don't know, Yuy?" At Heero's nod, Wufei explained. "Do you know about the Zodiac? How the rat tricked the cat into thinking the banquet was a night later then it really was?"

"No."

"The cat missed the banquet and was not named one of the twelve Zodiac animals that the Chinese calendar runs by. Most people think the tale ends there, that the cat is a scorned animal."

"There's more," Heero deduced.

"Yes. Not very many people know the rest about the Zodiac curse. We, Yuy, are part of the curse. When ever we are embraced by a member of the opposite sex, or when we come under extreme stress, we change into our animal forms."

"So you mean-"

"I, too, change into an animal of the Zodiac, the dragon. There is a reason why I am the last member of my clan."

"It's hard for you to have relationships with others."

It was silent for a few moments. Wufei was letting all of the information sink into Yuy's brain about their condition before he continued. "That's not all."

Heero looked up at Wufei, confusion showing while he was still a cat. "There's more?"

"Yes. My clan's elders told me this; our clan broke off from another clan long ago. This clan was the one cursed with the Zodiac curse. The Sohmas. This curse only effects the Sohma clan and no one else. While they are very distant cousins of mine, I am still related to them, as are you."

Cat eyes widened as Heero also came to this conclusion.

Anything else that would have said was cut off as Heero suddenly transformed on Wufei's lap. Both Heero and Wufei turned beet red and froze in shock, but what was worse was the voice behind them that suddenly appeared.

"What are you two doing back here?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Wufei and Heero made their way back to the Preventer's building. Hopefully the fire was fully put out by now. The two walked in silence, each to their own thoughts. One thought kept repeating itself in Wufei's mind. Would they be telling Maxwell their secret? Did he already know about Yuy's transformation? And if so, was he fully accepting it?

Wufei eyed Yuy out of the corner of his eye. If one didn't know Yuy well, very well in fact, one would never know that something was on his mind. It took three guesses to figure out what it was, and the first two did not count.

The curse.

Deciding that it was best to just get it out in the air, Wufei asked his question straight out. "Does Maxwell know?"

No flinching, no pausing in mid step, no outward sign at all showed that Heero heard the question, but non the less an answer was given. "No."

"Does he have any suspicions?"

"No."

Turning the corner on the sidewalk, the Preventer's building was now in sight. All the employees were still loitering in the street and parking lot. But on a happier note, there was no more smoke rising from the building and the last of the firefighters were leaving the building with their materials.

Then there was Duo holding an audience of almost half of the Preventer employees, talking animatedly with his hands fly all around. Upon walking closer, they could hear that he was retailing his experiences with Trowa at the circus and Trowa's lion.

"I swear, he treats that lion as a three month old kitten. And the lion? He acts like a big pushover until T leaves the tent, then he's back to being the most furious lion there is in the universe!"

The gathered group laughs at Duo and his antics.

"Baka," Wufei mutters just loud enough for Heero to hear.

"Hn," Heero agrees before calling "Duo."

Duo looks up from what he's doing. "Hey Hee-kun, Wu-man! Where'd ya go?" Duo made his way from the group to stand by the other two pilots. "Did ya bring me anything?"

"What's the news?" Wufei asked, motioning towards their work place.

"N'thin yet. We're all just wait'n around to find out if we can leave or not," Duo answered.

"No leads as to how this fire started?" Heero asked.

Even though all three of them knew how it started, Duo trying to make hot cocoa and all, most of them didn't want it traced back to Duo.

"None," Duo confirmed.

That night Duo, Heero, and Wufei were all sitting in Wufei's apartment, watching the news. Currently, the announcers were talking about how the Preventer's building had caught fire earlier that day and that it was still under investigation. Also, if anyone knew anything, they were to call the Preventers.

"Man, I'm hungry," complained Duo from his spot next to Heero, on the couch.

"You're going nowhere near my kitchen, Maxwell," said Wufei. "And if I ever catch you thinking about it, Yuy will never have to worry about your safety anymore."

Heero's eyebrow rose.

"Are you threaten'n me man?" Duo asked.

"Yes," was Wufei simple reply.

"Just checking," Duo seamed to wave it off. "So, who wants pizza?"

"We had pizza two nights ago," Heero informed.

"What do you suggest then?" Duo asked.

"Mexican."

"I agree," Wufei added.

"Takeout Mexican it is. What'd ya want?" After Duo got all that, he called in the order before leaving to pick it up, leaving the two cursed Zodiac members alone.

Silence reigned for a few moments before it was broken by Wufei. "Do you plan on telling Maxwell about the curse?"

Heero looked at Wufei before changing his view to the TV. He didn't know what to answer. He would like to share this bit of information with Duo, but he didn't know how Duo would react, or if it would even be wise to.

Wufei knew that Heero's silence meant that he didn't know what he wanted to do. It was all new to him. After all, just earlier that day, Heero found out that the reason he turned into a cat when hugged by the opposite sex was because of a curse. And what more, he wasn't as alone in the world as he thought.

Come to think of it, did that mean that Heero was Sohma? Or did his family break off from the clan like his had? All that he knew was that they were distant cousin, very distant cousin in fact. After all, his clan left the Sohma's over 500 years ago, and obviously, Heero wasn't Chinese.

But the thought did pose a question. Did Yuy want to find out about his past with the Sohmas? Did he want to find out how closely he was related to them or did he want to leave his life as it was?

"What do you plan on doing now?" Wufei asked.

Heero quickly looked back at Wufei, not sure how to take the question. "What?"

"Do you plan on tracking down the Sohmas to find out where you belong with them? Or do you plan on keeping your life as it is now?"

"What do you know of the Sohmas?"

"Not much," Wufei admitted. "Just that they live in Japan and that they are placed under a curse."

Silence reigned once more.

"Look Yuy, I know that this is a lot to take in. I rebelled when I found out that I was part of the curse. There's a reason why I'm a scholar. My parents never let me out to play with my peers. I never once interacted with the other sex until I was married. It was then I found out. All I'm saying is that I'm here if you want to talk."

The front door slammed open with Duo carrying in the Mexican takeout. "Honey, I'm home!"

§§§§


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Duo wandered into the living room, sleepy eyed and yawning wearing only his boxer shorts with his hair falling everywhere out of his braid. Looking around the room, he spotted his Heero lying on sofa, asleep where he'd be working on something.

Leaning over the back of the sofa, he poked the computer, removing the screen saver –a large picture of Wing taken by one of the reporters when they had been filmed some how attacking a base. They had gotten the film before publication but it was a good piece of work and some of the shots of them had been good.

Glancing at the work, there were searches open on the gang Wufei was trying to keep cover on and they were no doubt going on that course soon, 'a relax-er for once'. There was another window open, searching for someone called 'Sohma'. Duo frowned as he tried to remember the name from anywhere in the war or the Preventers new information.

But a closer look –after a quick glance to make sure Heero was still fast asleep- he looked at some of the dates the machine was pulling up on the files. 'Pre colony? What in the seventh plane of hell are you doing Heero Yuy?' He thought, almost mumbling to himself before he smirked and looked over at the kitchen.

Hands behind his back he sauntered over to the divider between kitchen and living room, leaning over the counter without touching a thing and inspecting it.

"All is clean and clear on the kitchen front," he whispered before moving in a wide circle to set one foot on the smooth tiles of the kitchen. He looked around again, treating it as a new mission of stealth.

Grin growing, he slipped his hands from behind his back lifting them up and starting to inspect everything closer, not touching a thing except to open doors of things and peer inside. He would admit, it was only when he tried to **use** the kitchen did the shit hit the fan, but he was aloud to inspect it.

Grinning again, he reached up for a glass out of one of the cupboards when a voice made him jump out of his skin. "Don't Touch A Thing Duo." Freezing, knowing he was caught in the act, he turned his head to see Heero standing at the open end of the kitchen, arms folded.

"Hey He-kun! Sleep well on the couch?" He asked smiling as he slowly pulled his hand out the cupboard and shut the door, patting it before taking a large step back and standing against the wall, near the window.

"You know your-" Heero paused as someone wolf whistled Duo through the window, making him shut his eyes before carrying on. "-your not supposed to be in the kitchen."

"Oh Heeeeeeero!" Whined Duo pouting as Heero scolded him, "I didn't do nuthin' see! Nothing is broken!" Heero couldn't help but smile, when Duo started pouting he couldn't help but find him cute, it just made him irresistible. "I was watching you since you came in here, just to stop you when you tried to, but let me make you some breakfast."

Duo smiled, perking up as there was mention of food. "Oh! Can I have bacon, eggs, beans, chips, hashes, sausages, fried mushrooms and onions please? With a big cup of coffee and ketchup on the side?" Rolling his eyes at the list, he began pulling things out the cupboards and fridge.

"So what woke you up?" Asked Duo talking still to cover the silence as his lover cooked, he was now sitting on the stools on the other side of the breakfast bar.

Heero looked over, "your hair on my nose."

Duo blew a raspberry but started talking again about everything from the wolf whistle to where Wufei was before finishing most his own sentences. Finally, when he finished eating he asked Heero what they had planned for the day, leaning back on the counter and looking out at the living room, TV, shut laptop.

Heero winced he had had other plans, but how do you explain to your partner I want to go visit someone, that you can't come with me and you've got to do something else today…

§§§§


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry about the delay. I had to go to France for 10 days, with my uni. Enjoy. 

**Chapter 9**

Wufei sighed and looked at the piles of paper work around him again. The fire damage had been superficial and only in some parts of the building which were being finished today. All the fire proof main computer's had been fine, so anything lost had already been scanned and/or saved already ready to be printed off.

"I've got to ask Une for a personal sectary or something to take care of all this!" He said, annoyed and turned to look out his window again at the blue sky and dark clouds coming in over the horizon. 'I wonder if they are a sign…' he mused, going out of character to procrastinate for a while. He'd locked his door so the work pile wouldn't grow at least.

Sitting up a bit suddenly, something told him to be cautious all a sudden, some sixth sense he'd developed during the war and was also part of his Dragon side. He was about to turn the chair around when the door was suddenly kicked in, bouncing back off the wall, while a loud, angry voice shouted at him to get out and piss off, he'd take over.

Wufei froze again, total un-like him, but something in the tone of the voice told him to make peace with his maker while what the words said told him something different. Turning around and standing up, he saw Duo standing in front of him. A trench coat on and a wicked glare in his eyes, he saw the line of destruction behind him, a few people un-conscious with one or two crying females or glaring males.

"Get out Now!" Growled Duo, his eyes almost glowing purple.

Seeing he was on the edge, Wufei nodded grabbed his coat, gun, wallet and stopped by Duo seeing that he was shaking and gritting his teeth. Without hesitating he put a hand on Duo's shoulder, "calm down Duo, there's no Deathscythe anymore to take your temper. Only soft little people, so calm Shinigami back down with some boring paper work."

Duo growled but nodded, his eyes having never left the dark clouds on the horizon. Shaking his head, Wufei left and walked through the path of chaos left by Shinigami. "At least he didn't kill anyone," he muttered as he went down in the elevator and through the lobby, seeing the slowing clearing up remains of Duo's path of terror.

Outside he saw Heero waiting by a rental car, hands in pockets looking around him and at the clouds in the sky. Getting in the car in silence, Wufei made sure they were already in the traffic before he asked Heero what was wrong with Duo.

"I told him that I had to do something with you in China and that he couldn't come."

Wufei froze for a second time that day before sighing and rubbing his face, "I'm lucky to be **alive** Yuy!" Heero raised an eyebrow in question, eyes never leaving the road as they drove to the airport. "You sent Shinigami in there! Not Duo!"

There was silence in the car and Wufei just sighed before leaning back in the seat and staring out the window. He'd already spotted the bags in the backseat but not moved to say anything as the moody cat by his side just glared out the window.

'Great way to start a trip of self-discovery.' He thought as the country moved past his window. 'What a nice starting omen, Shinigami and a storm on the way.'

That day, four centuries ago another cat was moodily staring out a window a small book in his hand that was light grey while another by his side that was deep blue. 'So full of it, that stupid rat…'

§§§§


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Wufei sat on his assigned seat on the airplane. Heero was sitting next to him, typing furiously on his laptop. He had no doubt what Heero was researching. It was, after all, why they were on a plane flying to a different country.

Wufei pushed himself further back into his seat, trying to get comfortable. He always hated to be on planes and shuttles. The flights were always to long, causing ones back to stiff up and legs to cramp up. There was nowhere to move. One could barely shift positions without hitting the passenger next to them.

Shifting slightly, Wufei felt his back pop in five different locations. 'Why am I on this damn plane again?' Wufei then looked at Yuy. 'That's right; this is all Yuy's fault. First, he caused Maxwell to go in Shinigami mode, second, sent Shinigami in at me, and third, told me I'm leaving the country with him without any notice.'

"If Maxwell touches my kitchen, you're paying the bills."

Heero nodded.

Wufei glared at Heero before moving looking out the tiny window and at the soft, cotton looking clouds below them. He would much rather be comforted by the clouds than sitting in the infernal plane seat.

Seeing as there was nothing to do, Wufei let his thoughts drift off to earlier that day along with wishes that he at least had a word cross or fill-ins to do.

When he and Yuy had arrived at the airport, Wufei decided it was time to ask what they were doing. All he basically got was 'information gathering.' So Yuy wanted to know more about his past, the curse. Yuy didn't know any more then he did now about the curse. He also didn't mind tagging along on this ride. He would like to know more about this curse that he suffered from. Maybe, hopefully, there was even a way to break it. Or at the very least, make it more tolerable to live with.

Every day he lived in fear that someone would find out his secret, that he would transform in front of a group of people. His life as he knew it would be over. He was sure that people would want to study him, find out what made him so different from the rest of the human race.

There was a reason why he kept the female gender away from him, from getting too close. Only a few had broken through that barrier. Sally Poe was one. She refused to let him get to her, she stayed by his side no matter what he tried to pull, no matter his snide remarks on the female race. She put up with his attitude and gave it right back to him. She had even smacked him once or twice to get a point across to him.

"You're insufferable. I don't know why I even put up with you," Sally said. She and Wufei were sitting in their joint office. Wufei was trying to get his work done. Sally, on the other hand, was bent on grilling him.

"Why do you then?" Wufei had questioned back, not looking up from his report. Maybe this would be it; this would cause the wedge in their relationship that he'd hoped for.

"Don't you take that tone with me. I am your superior."

Wufei snorted.

It was then that it happened. He would never forget the day, the day that Sally had snapped. Sally had calmly gotten up from her desk, gracefully walked across the tiny room and stood by Wufei's side, all in a matter of seconds.

"What do you mean by that?"

When Wufei didn't answer, she had smacked him upside the head. Shocked more than anything else, all he could do was look at her, until it finally soaked it that she had struck him. HIM!

"What'd you do that for?" he demanded.

Looking back at that incident now, he still couldn't believe that Sally had actually struck him. But he was asking for it. He had been getting on her nerves from day zero when he had met her. He stepped up his actions when he had been partnered with her. She had made it clear after that day that nothing he could, or would, do would drive her away from his side.

Cornel Une was another female that he let get closer than most. He never had any worries over her trying to embrace him in anything more than a handshake. He never had to worry about his secret coming out because of her actions.

The white fluffy clouds broke from underneath the plane and the wide blue ocean could be seen. It looked so calm from his perspective. He couldn't see any waves nor any boats of any kind. Just clear blue water stretching for miles upon miles.

Waves.

Why did he feel that he would be causing waves of another kind really soon, if not already. In a sense, he had already rocked the boat by revealing the Zodiac Curse to Yuy and helping him with his search of the Sohmas.

Just a little ripple of seeing Yuy transform into the cat had caused ripples in his life. He wasn't as alone as he thought he was. He didn't have to keep his secret as secret as he used to. He now had someone he could share it with. And who knows, the ripples could go farther. He might find someone else with the curse, or knew of the curse, that he could share his burden with.

Water was always so symbolic of him. He would look calm on the outside, but he was usually raging on the inside. He was angry at the curse that was put on him and the way he had to live his life because of it. He couldn't just share his secret with anyone. Someone could easily use that knowledge against him, they could blackmail him. No, it was better to keep it silent and to himself unless he was sure of the person.

Wufei looked back over at Heero. He was still working on his laptop, no doubt still researching the Sohmas and the Zodiac.

Shifting in his seat once more, Wufei leaned his seat back as far as it would go. Too bad it didn't help any. His legs were still cramping and his back was aching. What he wouldn't give to be able to get up and move around, to stretch out his legs and loosen up the muscles in his back.

At least the cockpit seat in Nataku had been comfortable, unlike the infernal seat he was in now.

Looking out the window, Wufei would give anything to have a deck of cards, a book, anything to keep him busy from thinking how uncomfortable he was, what he would be facing, and what he had faced. He didn't want to think about the curse and how it affected his life.

But how could he not? After all, that was why he was on the plane at that very moment. How could he not think of his past when he was faced with learning and coming more to terms with it? This was all Yuy's fault. More so, it was that imbecilic female officer's fault who revealed Yuy's secret to him. If she hadn't bumped into Yuy, causing him to turn into a cat, he wouldn't be on this plane, therefore, his back would not be complaining and Shinigami wouldn't have threatened him earlier. He just hoped that Shinigami hadn't killed anyone that day.

§§§§

Meanwhile, violet eyes were staring furiously at a stack of files, almost causing them to burst into flames. The one named Duo Maxwell was not a very happy camper at the moment. Oh no. After all, Shinigami had come out for a little visit.

The day had started off well enough. He was alive; always a bonus when one was trying to live a life. Then he was able to see his boyfriend sleeping on the couch in a cute sort of way. Heero always looked peaceful when he slept, like he was free from the weight of the world. Then the bonus of the morning had been being able to get into Wufei's kitchen. And when he was going to reach for a mug to make coffee, Heero had caught him and forced him out of the kitchen. At least it wasn't Wufei who had caught him. Now that would have been ugly, especially after the incident with him trying to make hot chocolate back at the office.

The morning had been going well. Wufei had to leave for the office early, leaving him and Heero alone in the apartment. Then he had to go and ask Heero what they were planning on doing that day. That was when everything went downhill.

Heero had stated that he needed to visit someone that lived in a different country. Okay, so that wasn't bad. What came next was. Heero had pretty much said that he couldn't go but that he was taking Wufei with him.

Wufei!

Why Wufei and not him? What could Wufei help him with that he could not? And why did they have to be gone for a few days? That meant that he was left to his own devices, something that was never good. If they weren't careful, there wouldn't be an apartment to come back to, let alone a kitchen.

And then Heero had made him promise that he wouldn't set foot in the kitchen at all, that he would go out to McDonalds or wherever else for all of his dietitarien needs. And damn him for making him promise to get his water out of the bathroom tap with a sippy cup.

A sippy cup!

And people wondered why Shinigami likes to come out and play.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Wufei and Heero were walking out of the airport. They had finally arrived in China, much to the joy of Wufei's back. They were in the city of Chengde in the province of Hubei in China.

Heero led him over to a jeep, the vehicle they would be using during their time here in China. Both threw their bags in the back of the jeep before Heero sat behind the wheel. Wufei was fine with that. He had no idea what they were doing here in China, nor where Yuy planned for them to go.

Heero silently and swiftly started to drive Northeast of the city until they were a few miles from the city limits. Heero then took some back roads and soon the pair found themselves in front of a house.

"Where are we?" Wufei asked.

"The Sohma's vacation home." With that said, Heero started to inspect the perimeter.

While that was being done, Wufei went closer to the house to see if anyone was living in it at the moment. Looking in through a window, he could see a layer of dust coating everything in the house. Nothing has been stirred within at least the last two months.

"No one's here," called Wufei.

Heero smirked.

And it hit him. "You planned on no one being here. Yuy, what are we doing here?"

"Reconnaissance." With that said, Heero entered the house.

Wufei looked up to the sky. "Nataku, help me." That said, Wufei followed Heero in, closing the door behind him. He followed the disturbed dust to Heero's location. "What are we looking for?"

§§§§

Duo stared at the sippy cup in his hand before chucking it across the room. The cup flew across the room before suddenly being stopped by a wall, a wall that now sported a dent.

Duo's, no, Shinigami's eyes were still alight with fire, flames could easily be seen. Duo had not reigned in his temper, and it had been two days since Heero and Wufei had left for China. Two days of him having to use that blasted sippy cup!

They were going to die.

Heero was going to die because not only did he force him to stay behind, but also for suggesting that he use a sippy cup, let alone use it.

Wufei, on the other hand, was going to die because he was allowed to go with Heero. This meant that Wufei knew something about Heero that Heero didn't want him to know. Plus, they seemed to be getting friendlier then they were before. Something was going on between the two of them and he was going to find out. But the question was how.

Looking at the clock, Duo saw that it was time to head into work. He grabbed his coat and started to make his way to the office. He let his mind drift back to two days ago, the first time the office had met Shinigami.

He had stormed through the front doors. He had just asked Heero if he could go with him and Wufei to China. Heero had taken a hold of his hand, something that Duo was taking to be a positive sigh. But it wasn't. Heero had told him that he needed to stay in town, to work on their mission while he had to complete his self appointed one.

Not staying in the car where Heero was, Duo stormed into the office in Shinigami mode. He blew past the front doors and the front desk, stomping and glaring the entire time. He pushed the up button to the elevator with more force than needed. The elevator came too slow for his liking, only adding more fuel to his anger.

Once Duo had reached his desired floor, he once again was stomping down the hall, giving anyone a death glare that so much as turned to look at him. A foolish man had tried to come and talk with him, to calm him down. It didn't work out in that man's favor. He was soon on the floor, unconscious. Everyone took two steps back after that show.

Glaring at them all again, Duo continued to his destination, Wufei's office. As he neared the door, he felt his anger rise once more. Why was his Heero taking Wufei to China and hot him? Why was he not allowed to go?

Feeling the rush of anger flowing through his veins, Duo never stopped to try and open Wufei's office do by the handle. Instead, he positioned a well placed kick to the door, causing it to fly open and bend the hinges. The door handle roughly met the wall behind it, causing a hole to open. But none of this was noticed by the two people in the room.

"Get out!" Duo had demanded. He hadn't looked at Wufei but rather the sky that was outside of Wufei's window. He knew that if he looked directly at Wufei, Shinigami would fully take over and he would be short one friend.

Duo didn't hear any movements from Wufei. Had he shocked, scared even, the Chinese man? Good. He felt a tiny bit better because of that, but still not enough to be able to look at the man.

"Get out NOW!" he growled again. He was slowly holding it together. Shinigami was fighting for more control. Duo couldn't hand over that control, not yet, not until Heero and Wufei were a safe distance away.

Duo heard Wufei getting up from his chair before moving over toward him.

Shinigami! Did Wufei have a death wish? Couldn't Wufei tell that he was in Shinigami mode?

A hand settled on his shoulder before a voice reached his ear. "Calm down Duo. There's no Deathscythe anymore to take your temper. Only soft little people, so calm Shinigami back down with some boring paper work."

Oh good, Wufei was able to recognize the signs when Shinigami came out. He just chose to ignore them. Not that it did anything to calm him.

Duo growled and nodded, showing Wufei that he had heard him without having to look at him. He then heard Wufei walk out of the office, down the path of destruction he had made, and out to his lover.

Growling once more, he flung himself in the recently vacated office chair, only to throw himself in the paper work he made Wufei leave behind.

Duo snapped out of his memories when he reached the office. Before walking in, he took two deep, cleansing breaths of air, hoping to calm him temper, if even a little. He really shouldn't kill anyone that wasn't the direct cause of his anger, namely one Heero Yuy.

§§§§


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12.**

Running through the house, he could feel his asthma starting up again as he held the book in his hand, looking for the place he usually hid it. It was lucky the house was so big that he could have a chance to hide it before he found them.

Making sure it was tucked away safe, he turned around grey eyes scanning the room for anything out the ordinary while reminding himself he would have to thank his brother one day for the call, telling him who was arriving at the summer house.

Sitting on the windowsill he composed himself, praying the other two were fine, hoping more so that his love would be okay.

--

Heero prowled silently through the dusty rooms, looking at furniture that was old, expensive yet still beautiful, Wufei was not far behind him, not wanting to be too far from the intense man for fear of what he would do to the house if he saw something that challenged him.

"What did you find out about them so far?" Asked Wufei, moving as silently and gracefully as possible, his eyes constantly moving while being thankful the war of only a few years ago had never touched this part of the world. "Some of this stuff must out date the colonies!" He murmured to himself as he hesitantly touched the fabric off a chair, still soft and strong under his fingers.

Heero's stance and body language gave away nothing till Wufei spotted the softness in his eyes, it was lost to someone who did know him but it was the kind of look that had been spotted some times when he saw seen watching children playing; so happily and innocently young. He never knew why, but Wufei could tell Heero was affected by being in the house of his ancestors.

"I found bank details, property documents, lists of shares and investors, also birth certificates of the main family members for the last four centuries, they are proud of their line." Said Heero as they moved through the rooms of the house, living rooms, office's, studies, and then upstairs to the bedrooms.

Wandering the halls, they moved through what looked like guest rooms and a few more permanent ones with personal possessions in them, all the while trying not to disturb anything they found. They did split up and there was nothing but silence in the house as they looked, trying to glean something about their family from the possessions that were about them.

Opening one door, Heero felt something tingle down his spine making him look around the room slowly and carefully. Duo often joked it was his spider sense while he just called it a feeling he got, it had saved them all quiet a few times in the war years and even a few good ones after. Moving into the room, there were a few personal possessions here and there, a book by someone named 'Shiguri Sohma', an old photo of group of young people. Looking closer at the photo, he couldn't take his eyes off the youth with flaming orange hair glaring at the paler one.

'Strange,' he thought as he looked around the room again slowly before his eyes stopped and focused on one corner of the room. 'Something happened here, something big that I need to know.' The thought pushed into his mind with a force causing him to kneel in the corner he ran his hands over the walls and floor, feeling careful with his eyes closed.

'Got you!' His finger found a grove in the wooden floor, his deep blue eyes snapping open as he explored the crack and opened it slowly. The dirt and dust of centuries had made the board want to stay in place but a good tug from his steel like strength made the wood change it's mind. Careful not to break anything he pulled the board free and looked into his new discovery.

There was a lot of dust but a gentle blow removed the most of it, showing a small book that was a light shade of grey, time had faded it slightly but being in the dark hole had helped preserve it. Reaching in gently he lifted it out tenderly, as if lifting a baby creature, a tenderness only truly seen before by his lover.

Looking over at the door, he then looked back to the book and opened the cover, inside in a neat hand were small Japanese figures lined neatly on the pages. Reading the first page a small smirk grew on his lips before he closed the book, returned the wooden board back to it's place and went to find Wufei.

Climbing to the car together Wufei was curious what had made the cat smile, seeing as they hadn't ever finished searching the whole house, he'd still got something that made leaving worth while. "Well Yuy?"

"Do you read Japanese?"

Frowning at the question Wufei still replied that he did but what had that to do with anything? They were in China. "I have a diary that is before colony from a Sohma named Yuki, I read a few things on him in my research, but all mention of him also listed next to 'The Incident'. Yet I couldn't find anything relating to this incident, this should help me too."

"Why you more than me? Once I've read your research we'll both be at the same level."

"True," confirmed Heero before a gleam in his eyes caught Wufei's attention. "But the Dragon never had anything to do with the hatred between the Cat and the Rat."

Looking down at the book again Wufei read the first few lines on the first page;

"My name is Yuki Sohma, Member of the Zodiac…"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**.

Neither Heero nor Wufei noticed anything different as they walked into there hired motel room, they spoke little as Wufei was musing over the research Heero had presented him; while Heero was puzzling over the feeling he had experienced in the room.

Neither of them noticed a pair of glowing violet eyes that had watched them from across the road with an evil smirk glinting in the darkness.

Stepping away from the road and back to his car, Duo looked at his hand held computer briefly before disconnecting the link it had to Heero's computer and climbing into the car.

Although they had only been lovers for a few years, they had been partners in war for much longer than that and Duo had picked up on a few of Heero's ways. Heero had installed a back door to his computer for pilot use during the war, and had always kept one. Duo had found this back door one night and set up a small program -hiding it as a card game in the background soft wear- it was a backdoor for his personal use.

Heero kept a schedule on his computer some of it was in certain codes because he didn't trust his passwords completely, but it was a good way to see what he had been doing from day to day for the past several years. It was a good alibi and timekeeper.

It also included future events, for instance which flight he would be taking, where it would be going, the company he rented a car with.

Heero was even good enough to have downloaded a map to the Sohma estate with brief notes underneath.

It had been no trouble to organize the fastest vehicle Preventor's had to offer as the guy in charge of Transport had all but shoved the keys at him when he'd gone down to his office. Admitted the two hour flight had calmed and focused his thoughts, and once his hand held had been within wireless range of Heero's laptop, he'd gotten the rest of the details his quiet invasion over the internet had been unable to find.

Though his disorganization was usually his down fall, Duo could happily say that, despite being in the Preventor's records he was not listed as alive or existing anywhere in any computer system. He was a living ghost and Heero's constant need to detail everything he did for future reference or reflection had proved useful.

Following the map, evening starting to appear as he did, he drew up to the summerhouse as the sun was starting to set. Smiling to himself as he briefly glanced in awe at the beautiful display the sun was making he sighed before turning his attention and revived anger on the house.

Using his skills to the best of his advantage he was able to follow their trails in the neatly raked gravel and into the house.

Taking note of all he saw, he recalled the data he had downloaded from Heero's computer about a family named The Sohma's. It included family tree's with marks made on it in different colors for different reasons, it wasn't hard to miss the part that was labeled 'Move to Colony' followed by another family tree, more colored marks and then Wufei at the very bottom of it.

Duo had taken a moment of silence when he saw the name 'Mirrim' joined to Wufei's and then a small 'd.' labeled next to it. He had had his suspicions but so far in there time together it was never asked upon, recalling back he had realized that Wufei knew nothing of the Maxwell Church Incident.

Following their footprints through the dust, careful to only treat where they had, he followed Wufei's tracks before he came across Heero's meeting up with them and had backtracked to where Heero's had broke off and followed his. Finding the floorboard had been easier for him that Heero, it was obvious to a thief's eye.

Circling the house once more, it was in the last room Wufei had been in before they had turned to leave that something caught Duo's eyes in the growing gloom. It was something he had never really grasped how people didn't always notice the things he did, like how many magpies were in the tree outside while still able to keep track of the mission briefing inside the room. He'd managed to summarize that it was from his days of living hand to mouth and hunting rats for basic food when there was none other; hell, he'd eaten cockroaches before now, you only had to pluck off the bad bits like the head and egg sacks.

But it was a small, slide back panel that inside showed a small shrine, dust was thick but preserving and a much-faded picture showed a ginger haired lady with a large smile and a cigarette in between her fingers. There were two ribbons in front of the picture, shifting them with a finger revealed they had once been a bright yellow.

There was another two pictures on the shelf below, one of a group of three, a grey haired boy, a ginger haired boy and a smiling brown haired girl; the same girl appeared in another photo next to it, with the ginger haired lady. He assumed that the ginger one was a mother or at least mother figure while the boys were close friends, judging by the positions of them all.

Smiling slightly at the devotion the young girl seemed to have shown for her mother and friends he sent a small prayer to Shinigami for there peace before turning. It was only a last blaze of sunset light that let his spot the small book on the bottom of the hidden compartment. It had glinted off a small lock that held the book tightly shut, lifting it up and out, something told him it was important.

He had never doubted the voice that whispered to him occasionally because it was usually better in the long run, the only time he had ever regretted following it was getting mixed up with G but in a way he had been grateful it had been him piloting his old buddy. Not a little ass wipe of a rookie who had no skill as a pilot, let along the ability to make Deathscythe truly come alive on the battlefield.

Picking it up and slipping in inside his coat he shut the sliding panel and made his way back to his car and to the homely B&B he was staying in right then. Clicking open the little book, he frowned at the small Japanese figures, being in china he was confused before he started to read.

"Hi! My names Tohru Honda, and right now I'm living in a tent…"

"Sounds like my kinda girl," he murmured as he settled himself in to read.

§§§


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Duo read Tohru's diary for a few hours, soaking up all that was written in it. She had written about how she lived in a tent when her Grandfather was remodeling his home. Her mother had died not too long before that and her father had died long before.

In later enteries, the reader found out how Tohru came to meet and live with the Sohmas. What had confused Duo was when she referred to some of the people in her diary as animals, such as the Rat, Dog, Cat, and Rabbit. And what had confused him more was when Tohru talked about the people actually turning into animals.

"She must've been crazy," Duo mused to himself. "People don't change into animals."

When Duo had finished reading the diary, he gently closed the book and put it in his duffle bag. He had some thoughts to ponder on now.

A thought suddenly struck Duo. If he found a diary, did that mean that Heero or Wufei also found one or anything else equally as entertaining? Did they also find hints of the past that have long since passed from memory? If so, what were they?

Duo flung himself on the cozy bed as he finally called it a night. He hoped that tomorrow would hold some answers for him.

The next morning one could find Duo running around like a chicken with his head cut off. He had awoken later then planned, he had barely made it to breakfast, he was scrambling to get all of his belongings together, and think up of a plan to break into Heero's and Wufei's hotel room to see what they had found the other day.

He also planned on doing some background research on this Tohru Honda. He wanted to know just how crazy she was for thinking humans could turn into animals and if he should just chalk up her whole diary to be hallucinations or an overactive imagination.

Finally, all of Duo's clothing, belongings, and Tohru's diary was packed in Duo's duffle bag. While he did want to break into Heero's and Wufei's hotel room, he planned on following them today. He hoped that their actions would add more pieces to the puzzle over what was going on. So far he didn't see any reason why Heero couldn't have brought him along. So far all they did was break into a house, and that was his specialty!

Paying and thanking the employees at the B&B, Duo hoped that he wasn't too late to find and follow his targets. If he was, then he would be screwed for the day. He wouldn't really know what to look for until he followed his targets.

Duo had just barely parked outside of Heero's and Wufei's hotel when his cell phone went off. Duo swore until he saw who was calling. Then he swore some more. "Hee-kun!!!" he gushed. "I miss you!!!"

"Duo, I miss you too," responded Heero.

Duo smiled. "When are you and Fei coming back?" Good, he thought to himself. Heero doesn't suspect that I'm here in China with him.

"Later this week. Where are you? You're not at home."

Duo almost broke out into a sweat. "Workin' on a mission. Nothing too much I can do at the moment though."

"Waiting on paperwork?"

"Something like that." Time for a change of subject. "What are you and Fei up to?"

"Researching. We're trying to find some information but it is proving to be harder than we thought."

"You know, if it gets too stressful, I can come over and help relieve it. I'm sure that we could send Fei off somewhere." And then I can go though what information you two have found and try to find out what you are keeping from me.

Heero made a sound that communicated his agreement. "I would like that, but we will be home soon."

Crap! Well, that plan went down the drain. Maybe he could seduce one of the maids tomorrow to let him in. "Will you bring me back something?"

"Like what?" That had somewhat surprised Heero, though it really shouldn't have.

"Surprise me." Duo then spotted Heero and Wufei leaving the hotel, Heero on his cell talking to him. Perfect! He could still follow them. "I gotta go, work just picked up. Call me later?"

"Hn," Heero agreed.

"I love you, be safe." Duo could practically hear Heero snort. He knew Wufei would if he ever told him to be safe.

"I will. You too."

Duo smiled. "Of course. When have you ever known me not to be?"

Silence filled the air, seeming to give way to Heero's thoughts.

"Never mind, don't answer that."

Heero laughed and Duo cut the connection. It was time for him to work. He smiled over his conversation with Heero. Heero had missed him, that shown alone from just the call itself. Heero was making sure that everything was going alright with him and see if he needed anything. What did he do to deserve such a great guy?

Oh yeah. He had saved not only the world, but also the colonies. He deserved his happiness.

Too bad his happiness crashed away when he realized he lost sight of Heero and Wufei. "Damnit!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15.**

Wufei stifled another yawn as he sat in the passenger seat of there rental car, he had been up all night reading Yuy's research and adding a bit of his own, using some of his own contacts and sources but it still didn't reveal anything more except old school records.

He was itching to read the diary Yuy had found, but the curious little cat had kept it to himself all night reading with the same blank expression he usually wore.

He couldn't even find any of the little hints and tips that suggested he was happy or interested in something, there was nothing! Which in turn had him even more interested because Yuy could look at a finance report and still look interested.

He guessed that Maxwell had something to do with that one but living with that baka could make anyone learn to smile or cry.

His kitchen… his apartment… Only his warrior's self-control stopped him shedding a tear in thought of what state it would be in once Duo Maxwell, Shinigami himself was done with it. Especially in the bad mood Heero left him in.

They were driving to another Sohma property, as it seemed the family owned lots of it, they were hoping to actually find someone who was a member of the family and gain some family history out of them, using the cover story of them being collage students doing a local history paper.

Driving up to the lakeside property it was clearly another summer home, this one for the more energetic members of the family as there were horses in the fields near by and he could see a stable near the back of the house from the angle they were driving in at.

Looking over at Yuy once more he sighed and sent a pray to Nataku that anyone at the house wouldn't be scared away or threatened by a Perfect Solider on a mission.

As they got out of the car, taking deep breaths of the fresh mountain air, filled with the scents of pine, water and horses they looked around again, finally noticing someone moving around inside the house.

Heero nodded to Wufei and they set off, 'there must have been something that really bothered him in that book, he's even more focused than normal. I actually wish the baka Maxwell was here to just lighten his mood.'

They looked at one another before Heero nodded and started ahead, "what did you find out about this place Yuy?" He asked as they walked up the rest of the sloping drive way.

"Just that it was a summer home for the Sohma's, but was listed as one for there most important family members. I'm not sure if they will speak to us, but I don't think we should mention the curse to them. I don't think all Sohma's know about it."

"Nataku, let this go well…"


	16. Chapter 16

-1**Chapter 16.**

There was a knock at the door as he sat down to his breakfast, sighing he got up and moved towards the door, silently lamenting his hot breakfast and prepared to kill the silly blonde girl if she was at the door again. What was it with blonds not getting the hint?  
Not bothering to look through the peep hole he opened the door and began with something like this: "I swear, Hitomi, if you don't leave me alone and let me relax in peace I'm going to not be blamed-" before it ended something like, "and your not her, okay then, who are you?" Which came out in one long ramble at the end as he looked at the two boys? Men? They looked young but held an aura of age about them.

The one with black hair pulled back in a band, was staring at him with eyes so dark he might have been looking from the bottom of the darkest abyss. That un-nerved him slightly but it was the blue eyed glare of… himself from the other boy.

"Oh…" Was all he managed before he fainted.

"Great going Yuy, your Death Glare kills now I see!" Snapped Wufei as he bent to pick up the unconscious man, his messy brown hair a slightly more tamed version of Heero's but with enchanting yellow eyes instead the hard blue.

"Well, we know we're in the right place."


	17. Chapter 17

-1**Chapter 17**

Duo peered from around a tree that was nearby in a field. While he may have lost sight of his Heero and Wufei, he had easily found them. Putting tracer bugs into Heero's rental car had been an excellent idea. If he hadn't done that, he would have had no hope for finding those two.

Looking around the property, Duo saw no one. Heero and Wufei must have been invited into the house as the rental was still in the drive way.

Now Duo only had one course of action. Sneak up to the house and try to find out what was going on. Maybe he could find out why Heero had to travel to China without him. What bothered him was not that Heero had to come out here, but what did grate on his nerves was that he couldn't go but Wufei had. He still would have been annoyed if Heero had come out here by himself, but not as much as he was currently since Wufei had been allowed to follow Heero.

Tree to stable, stable to shrubbery, shrubbery to house, all of this was executed perfectly as Duo made his way to the house. His sneaking skills were not lacking.

Looking in through a window, Duo tried to locate Heero, Wufei, and their host. He found Wufei and the host on his fifth window but the sight was not what he expected. The host was lying down on the couch; a cloth that was most likely wet was on his forehead. Wufei was by the man, looking at him before turning to the stairs. Once at the bottom, Duo saw him call up to someone, someone what was most likely Heero. Wufei then went back to the host and sat on the edge of the couch.

Duo sat down on the ground, thinking. Why was the host unconscious? If Heero or Wufei had knocked him out, then Wufei would not be standing over the guy with a damp cloth in hand. Rather, both he and Heero would be looking for whatever they came out here to get. Most likely their objective had something to do with their host.

Duo glanced through the window once more. Wufei was re-wetting the cloth before folding it and replacing it upon the man's forehead. Wufei then let his eyes wonder about the room.

Duo sunk back down, not wanting Wufei to see him. He was, after all, not suppose to be here in China. He wasn't supposed to be trailing both Heero and Wufei, trying to solve the mystery that surrounded them at this moment. But when has he ever listened to the rules? He did stuff he wasn't suppose to do daily. Why should this be different?

Duo went around the house, looking in through the other windows, trying to find a way to look through the second story windows to see what Heero was doing. Aside from a ladder he would have to get from the stables, there was no way that Duo could look through the second story windows.

Seeing that his search for Heero was pointless at this moment, Duo decided to go back to his spying of Wufei and the unconscious host.

Upon returning to the window, Duo saw that not much had changed. Both the man and Wufei were still in the room, only the man was starting to stir. He was awakening.


	18. Chapter 18

-1**Chapter 18**

Wufei and Heero had dragged the man back into his house. Heero had deposited the man on a nearby couch while Wufei went into the kitchen to find a wash cloth and a basin. Upon finding the basin, he filled it with tap water and returned to the man.

When he entered the room, Heero had nodded at him before heading toward the stairs and walking up them. Wufei clearly got the message. He was to take care of the man while Heero searched for the reason they came out here. Heero was going to search for some written documentation of the Sohma's history while he took care of their unknowing host.

Wufei set the basin on the coffee table near the man before wetting the cloth, wringing and folding it, then setting it upon the man's forehead. The man did not stir, but this should help him gain consciousness sooner rather than later.

Wufei looked around the room. Pictures hung on the walls of the man and those that were sure to be the man's family and friends. Some were of the man when he was younger. Looking closer, Wufei could say that there was a resemblance between this man and Heero. One could pass over it if they were not looking for it, but if one took the time to notice, it was there for all to see.

Was it possible? Could this man somehow be related to Heero?

Turning back to check on the man, Wufei rewet the cloth before replacing it back on the man's head. Wufei let his eyes wonder once more, falling once again on the pictures. Taking the time, Wufei studied the pictures closer. In none of them was a woman who Wufei could pick out to be Heero's mother.

Looking around the room, Wufei spotted a well-worn photo album. Wufei gathered it in his anxious hands before walking back towards the man. Setting the album on the coffee table, Wufei started to go through the pictures. Every so often Wufei would stop to check on the man. Wufei saw pictures of the man when he was a child, awards and ribbons he had gotten while in school. It wasn't until after the man had left his schooling days was there any picture of a woman who also resembled Heero.

Before Wufei could study the woman farther, the man had let out a low moan. Wufie abandoned the album and turned his attention back to the man. Once more, he rewet the cloth and set it back on the man. When the cloth was laid on the man was when his eyes shot open. The man's eyes searched around for a few seconds before they landed on Wufei's. "What happened?"

"You fainted when you saw us," said Heero as he entered the room. "Or rather, me."

Wufei raised an eyebrow, a silent question of whether Heero had found anything worth noting upstairs. A slight nod was his answer. Heero than gave a pointed look at the open photo album. Wufei answered with a smile, the album did hold some importance.

The man carefully sat up, the cloth falling to his lap. "You?... You're not…" The man wore a confused expression on his face. His eyes were taking in every aspect of Heero, wonder filling his mind. "I… I never knew."

Before much more could be said, a loud noise pierced the silence, turning three pairs of eyes to look outside through a window. All three quickly got up and ran towards the front door. The door was hastily opened. The sight that met the three of them was one all would remember.

Duo was beaten, lying on the ground, with a young girl sitting on his back while pulling his braid.

Wufei couldn't hold it back. He laughed.


	19. Chapter 19

-1**Chapter 19**

They were all sitting in the main living room again, this time Duo was on the inside looking out while sulking massively. Not only had be been caught while being somewhere he wasn't supposed to be, but he'd been caught on a mission and worse yet! By a young girl who had then proceed to beat the crap out of him while he couldn't defend himself. It wasn't the war and he wasn't going to hurt a young girl, you get in trouble for stuff like that now.

He wasn't quiet sure why Heero and Wufei were here and what they had found, and he didn't think the host knew either to be honest as he was sitting there staring at Heero like he had two heads and six eyes. The girl on the other hand kept poking Wufei, who was trying to sit further and further away from her on a two seated couch and looking very worriedly from her to Heero.

The silence in the room continued until he looked around, mild boredom over taking his embracement.

"Anyone want a drink?" He asked suddenly, breaking the quiet. With a huge grin he jumped up and made to move to the kitchen but Heero grabbed him on his way past and he dropped into the seat next to him, quiet again this time only mildly sulking -he knew Heero wouldn't tell him off in front of everyone, he would keep it privet but knowing it was going to happen was just as bad.

If he had had a tail, it would have been between his legs.

"So, who are you two again?" Asked the man sitting there in his robe looking a little less at Heero and at the others. "I mean, I have an idea who you are, but I don't know your name or anything else."

Heero looked at him instead of the quietly sulking partner by his side, "my name is Heero Yuy, Preventers agent First Class, and I've come looking for you. These are my colleagues, Wufei Chang and Duo Maxwell, also Preventers agents, First Class."

The man pales slightly and Wufei thought he was going to faint again, but he steadied himself, and opened his mouth to speak before the girl cut in. "Wow, first class? You must be pretty lousy or maybe the best are like, tenth class or something? I mean I caught him didn't I, and what kind of agents are you? What do you-"

"Enough Hitomi." It wasn't snapped or said in anyway cruel, just tired. The older man was pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes closed before he carried on. "We don't do anything illegal and my family has a very good reputation for keeping a clean sheet, at work and home."

"Don't worry about that sir," Wufei stopped glaring at the girl long enough to become involved in the conversation. "To be honest, we're not here on a Preventers mission, its something a bit more…. Personal."

Duo looked up suddenly, looking from him to Heero shocked before glaring darkly at Heero and leaning back in his seat folding his arms. Heero sighed mentally, he would have a fight on his hands now.

"Personal?" Asked the man before looking at Heero again. "I think I can see. You're here to find out if we are family? Am I correct?" There was a silent nod from the pair of them, Duo's attitude and the girls annoying poking stopped and they sat still, paying shocked attention.

"My name is Memso Sohma, and this here is my cousin Hitomi Sohma, and it seems you already know, this is one of our holiday homes owned by the Sohma family. I was very ill recently and came here to rest in the good weather, it seems Hitomi followed me for some reason, but that's besides the point." Said the older man, as he picked up the photo album, flicked back to the page Wufei had been looking at.

"I'm not sure about your friend, Wufei is it? But I can tell you how you are related Heero." He sighed as he stared at one of the pictures. "I guess you'll probably want to hear about her first, and why I didn't know."


	20. Chapter 20

-1**Chapter 20**

It had been well know in all the Sohma family, that the Cat and the Rat could never love each other, but it seemed to those cursed that any member of the Zodiac never to find love. So when two did find love together, the stories and rumours' ran though the family, those who knew of the curse disapproved while those who didn't made stories as they tried to find out why.

But the love between Memso Sohma and his partner, Kisa Sohma was like the tale of Romeo and Juliet all over again, except this time, they were ordered by T'lenna the Head of the Sohma family that they could not be together. Kisa tried to fight for there right to be together in the growing crises of the world, as the politics and governments started to cry for war.

She was banished from the Sohma family, even though those cursed as she -bearing the weight of the Rat sign- were usually there most guarded and hidden, she was cast out for her disobedience. She urged Memso to join her in her exile but he always found a reason to stay, he was under the sign of the Cow and was favoured amongst family though he would go and visit her as often as possible, there relationship straining to breaking point as they grew apart.

There last night together, they made love, and in the morning, while they held each other for the last time, she told him she had been offered a job in one of the Colonies by one of her old school friends. It was good money and she couldn't stay were she was anymore.

"But why my love? Do you not care for me anymore?" He asked, hurt by her words and pulling away, sitting up in bed. She lay there still, her eyes staring at nothing as she spoke, trying to make her words less painful for the both of them.

"Of course I do, but living outside the family like this is tearing me apart inside, watching you all from behind bars? I might as well be cursed by the Cat, living in a cage and watching my family grow around and away from me." She sat up now, hugging her knees and resting her chin on them. "I need a clean break."

She looking at him, her piercing blue eyes striking right into his softer golden eyes, he had always told her one of the things he loved the most was her eyes.

"I'm offering you a chance to come with me. The shuttle leaves at nine tonight. I need to leave and start gathering my things, tying off my loose ends… You've got one chance my love, you can either be with me in space or I will never see you again."

They got up, dressed, kissed one last time, while he promised to think about it in the day ahead but as he walked threw town and back to Sohma house, he was unsure. Every face he saw as he headed to his house was another reason not to go, while at other moments, ever time he saw a spot were they used to play as children or meet up as secret lovers was a reason to go.

But, as seven o'clock swung round, he had made his mind to go, the head of the family made a special visit to his house. She sat there, in her beautiful robes, her thin frame emphasised by the ornate and beautiful garments she always wore and they spoke lightly of things for a while, the weather, the children of the house, the new Zodiac members.

But as he started to fidget, looking at the clock as it swung round to half seven T'lenna said one simple thing to him. "Remember Tohru Honda." Before standing up and leaving, one of her maids helping her into a wheel chair once she was outside, to be taken back to her apartments.

Memso didn't move for more than ten minuets, his mind locked in thought, his heart screaming at him to do one thing while his mind and loyalties called for another. In the end, he was sitting on his porch step at nine o'clock, looking up and out at the stars and the tiny flairs of the shuttle ships coming and going.

He started to make secret plans to steal away to space for one reason or another, business, friends, holiday, but with the growing risk of war and the Earth and Colonies it became harder and harder for him to find a way, to put his plan into motion.

Then hope, two years after she had left him, he had found a reason to go to space, to visit the Colony she was on, find the address she had given him. But it was still two weeks before he was due to leave when he was informed.

Kisa had been at work, in the office her friend had gotten her the job in, when there had been a terrorist attack. Several bombs had gone off in the area and it had turned into an inferno. Her boyfriend of the time, Odin, was horrified and deeply shocked by what had happened, sending a letter to her family to let them know even thought she hadn't spoken to them for years.

He had mentioned a boy, but he had simply assumed it was Odins as had the man himself. Memso' health had started to go down hill at that point, making him weak and unable to work in the family businesses properly. So he had moved from holiday home to holiday home, leaving the places they had been together, only to keep a few photo's of her around his home.

Memento's of happier times.

He told Heero this, but of course, left out the parts about the Zodiac curse, he wasn't to tell him yet. Unless he showed the signs… and then, he could only pray that he wasn't the 13th member.


	21. Chapter 21

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Chapter 21

Wufei was fidgeting in his chair now, while Heero and Duo has slipped out side 'for a moment together'. He had no idea if Heero was shouting at Duo for following him, or if Duo was comforting Heero after receiving such news… but then again, it had been quite a time since he had been in a relationship, and he wasn't sure that his marriage really counted since they had hated each other for most of the time.

Memso had wandered off, commenting that he was a historian and was researching a collection of books by an old ancestor of his called Shiguri Sohma, he was quite interesting and his books had a depth to them that he wasn't expecting, considering the reputation Shigure left behind of himself.

So Wufei was left in the sitting room, with the young girl named Hitomi, and there was silence. She was staring into space, seemingly thinking.

"Why did you follow your friend Heero?" she asked suddenly. Something in her attitude changed as she continued to stare at a book case on the far side of the room.

"Me? Oh… well, he's a good friend and I was going to help him find his family if he thought it was important enough." He couldn't exactly tell her about the growing hope he had had that he would find someone in this world that was related to him and not already on the other side waiting for him. But Heero hadn't been able to dig up anything on the Chang background that was more personal than birth/death certificates and business transactions.

"No… I think it was something more…" she said vaguely before she reached out a hand and touched his forehead and stared into his eyes. "You know of us, you might be Chinese, but once the Sohma family had some very powerful relatives in China that got to big for there boots. They were forced to leave China by the other powerful families of that time."

Wufei was frozen to the spot, fear filling him about transforming as these people seemed to have no idea of the curse. They hadn't mentioned it and it seemed to be unknown even in the same family.

'Maybe Heero got the wrong family? It was good that he found his father, but... What about my involvement in this?' He mused as the girl continued to stare at nothing, finally removing her hand. Wufei breathed out in relief silently as the girl sat on the other end of the couch and he tried to burrow into the arm rest for more distance between them both.

"So, do you know the name of this family?" He asked into the strange silence that had grown up again, as she went quiet. It was a complete 180 from when he had first met her, crowing over catching Duo and tugging on his braid as she did a victory … well, wiggle on his back.

"I don't know, Memso will, I think. He's gone to go check on it now. He's top knowledge on history, but he's also our family historian too!" She was starting to perk up a bit again now, the episode of staring and being creepy-ness over. 'Sugar crash?' wondered Wufei as she started talking again. "He does get sick easy, but that doesn't stop him getting curious. It just means people have to poke in and make him take breaks in his research before he runs himself into the ground. Again."

"Also, I've been wandering…" she cut off. But as Wufei was opening his mouth to ask what, she had jumped on him. Just like that.

"YES! I knew it!"


	22. Chapter 22

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Chapter 22

Wufei stared in wide eyed horror at the young girl in front of him. His brain was on shut down mode. The young girl, Hitomi, had jumped onto his lap and gave him a huge hug. She had wrapped her arms tightly around his torso before jumping off and bellowed "YES! I knew it!"

This, in turn, had caused not only Yuy and Maxwell to run back into the living room, but also Memso. Hitomi was off a little ways away from Wufei, doing a victory dance while Wufei stared off into nothingness, lost in his thoughts.

"Fei?" Duo called out, hesitantly. "Wufei? You okay man?"

It was only when Heero placed his hand on Wufei's shoulder that he somewhat snapped out of it. He looked on in almost horror at the young girl before looking at Yuy. "I didn't… she's one…" he trailed off.

"You didn't what?" Duo asked. "She's one of what? The female species?" Duo looked to Heero when Wufei didn't respond. He was lost, but it looked like Heero wasn't. Turning quickly, it also seemed like Memso caught onto what Wufei was hinting at. He was the odd man out.

Meanwhile, after the words registered to Heero, he looked between the young girl and Wufei. "Are you sure?"

Wufei fully snapped out of his musing. "Heero, she knows. _She knows!_ She's one."

"Of course I know. I'm standing here, ain't I?" Hitomi asked. "Memso, he's one of us." Hitomi completed her sentence by pointing to Wufei.

"One of what?" Duo asked. "What do all of you know that I don't? C'mon Fei, you can't hold out on me."

Wufei buried his head in his hands. "Nataku, help us all."

"Hitomi, do you know what you're saying?" Memso asked. He thought that his son, Heero, might be one of the cursed, but he didn't think that the Chinese youth was.

"I hugged him," Hitomi boosted, like she had something to be proud of. "I hugged him!"

"That's what this is about?" Duo asked, completely missing what this meant to the other four people in the room. "Hitomi hugged you? Wait until I tell Sally about this." It was then when Duo noticed the look on Heero's face. He then looked at everyone else's faces again. 'Damn, I'm still missing something.' "Does someone want to clue me in?"

"You know?" Memso asked to Wufei.

"As does Yuy," Wufei confirmed.

"Know what?" Duo demanded.

"Duo, hush," commanded Heero.

Memso looked at Heero, taking in the sight of the son he just found out he had, a son who knew of the curse. Because Heero knew of the curse meant that most likely he was also one of the cursed. Memso looked hard at Heero. He didn't see the black and white beaded bracelet that signified the cat. Than again, Wufei wasn't wearing one either. Neither of them were the cat, thankfully.

"So you're going to stay now, right? Both of you?" Hitomi asked.

"Stay?" Heero asked, curious.

"Well duh! You're a Sohma."

The three young Preventers looked confused. "What Hitomi means is that all the Sohma's live together on or near the Sohma compound, or in one of the summer houses. It is unheard of for a Sohma to live anywhere else," Memso explained.

Duo looked on his two friends. He may not know all that was going on here, but he understood that Heero had found his long lost family and that said family all lived together. Now this family was going to want Heero back with them. The real question was did Heero want to go back and live with his family?

Wufei looked at the situation before him. He clearly knew that he didn't want to go and live with his very extended family. He wanted to know about them, have a few contacts, but not move in with them.

"Lets leave them alone, Maxwell," said Wufei as he walked towards the door. He only stopped to look at Heero as he was about to walk by him. Their eyes met and silently Wufei conveyed that now was the time for Heero to talk to his father. Heero nodded his understanding. Only one word slipped past his lips. "Maxwell?"

Heero understood the query. Wufei wanted to know if it was okay if he told Duo their secret. He gave the slightest nod back in answer. He then watched his companion and his lover walk outside, Hitomi following.

Heero turned to look at his father. He wasn't surprised to see the man looking back at him.

"Are you also under the curses effects?" Memso asked.

"Yes," Heero answered. Heero may have forgotten his birth name, but once he knew when the female population tried to embrace him, he would turn into the cat. With that knowledge came the additional knowledge that he needed to keep the bracelet upon his body at all times so as to not change into his other form.

Heero used to wear his bracelet upon his wrist until one mission he went on with Odin Lowe. The enemy had grabbed his arm while he was running from the mission he and Odin had just completed. When the soldier had grabbed his arm, the bracelet had broken and he transformed into his other form.

After that day, Heero had started to wear the bracelet on his ankle upon the advice of Odin. It was now in a place where it would be harder to break or fall off. It was also protected by the socks and sometimes shoes he wore. He never wanted to transform into his other form ever again, nor his cat form if it could be helped.

"Are you also cursed?" Heero asked.

"I'm the Ox."

Heero nodded. "Hitomi?"

"Monkey. I know where most of the Sohma's cursed are. We are only missing a few members; the Serpent, the Dragon, and the Cat. Since neither you nor Wufei have the mark of the Cat on you, one of you is the Serpent and the other the Dragon."

"Mark of the Cat?" Did Memso mean the bracelet that he now wore as an anklet? Or was there some other mark?

"The Cat is cursed with two different forms. Besides turning into a cat, when the Cat looses their bracelet, they turn into a monster. This bracelet holds some power to hold back the second transformation."

"So this bracelet is the mark of the Cat," Heero clarified.

"Yes. The Cat is looked down upon. He is the cursed thirteenth animal. While it is a curse to be one of the Zodiac animals, it is worse to be the cat."

This caught Heero's attention. "Because the Cat has two transformations?"

"The cat was never one to be looked upon in our family, it is our disgrace."

Heero didn't like the sound of that. Thankfully, he hadn't told anyone of his transformation yet. But had Wufei? Hitomi had followed them out. If he tried to follow after Wufei or Duo right now, he might as well as shout out to the world that either he or Wufei was the cat.

Memso went on, not seeing the internal conflict that was occurring in his son. "While the cat is our disgrace, he or she is allowed to go to school until they finish their high school education. Once that happens, the Cat is taken on the Sohma compound and locked away not only from the outside world, but also the rest of the family. The Cat is cursed to live that way for the rest of their days."

Heero looked at Memso, gauging his words. What he saw disturbed him. Memso had spoken the truth. "The Cat has no hope?"

"T'lenna, the head of our family, has made it clear that once we find the Cat, that they must face her."

"Once they meet, this T'lenna will then imprison the Cat." That had to be why she wanted to see the Cat.

At Memso's nod, Heero knew that he could never reveal to anyone which form he transformed into. Wufei would keep his secret, as would Duo. So would Trowa and Quatre if the word traveled far enough. But he still had to be careful. Right now Memso believed that neither he nor Wufei was the cat, he had to keep everyone believing that for as long as possible. At any moment the Serpent could make themselves known. That would be when the real danger started.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Wufei glanced at the house that sat behind both he and Duo. Hitomi had let the dog out of the bag when she had jumped on him and shouted out to the world. There was no possible way to hide this truth from Maxwell now. He had heard too much, even if he didn't know what he heard meant.

Wufei looked around, making sure that he and Duo were alone. While Hitomi had followed them out, he wasn't about to explain something that Heero held personally in front of her. Thankfully, he didn't have to do anything to get her to leave them alone. She seemed content to spy on her cousins, probably wanting to see how they would act around one another when alone.

Wufei led Duo a fair distance away so their conversation would not be heard. "What has Yuy told you?"

"Hee-kun hasn't told me anything," Duo pouted.

"What were you two doing when he took you outside?" Wufei would be glad if he had a starting point to go from, from that conversation.

Duo looked down sheepishly. "He was… uh… yelling at me for following you two."

"He didn't get into anything relating to the Sohmas?"

Duo shook his head no. "Just who are the Sohmas?"

Well, this was as good of a starting point as any. "Do you remember the day you set the office on fire?"

"What does that have to do with this?"

Wufei leveled a glare at Duo. "I'm getting there."

"Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

"It was while we all were milling around outside when a… clue came out involving Yuy's past."

"Clue? What sort of clue?"

Wufei smirked. "The kind you find falling right into your lap."

"O-kay?" Duo didn't know what to make of that last statement.

Wufei looked around again; making sure Hitomi wasn't anywhere close. "Maxwell, what I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone."

Duo was now put on edge. He knew something serious was going on. If he was being sworn to secrecy, he knew it was big. What more, it involved Heero. "I won't."

Wufei looked at Duo, trying to see if Duo could handle the news. Whether he could or could not, it was time to share. "The Sohma's, Heero's family, are not normal."

Duo gave Wufei a look that said 'and what family is?'.

"Long ago the Sohma's were placed under a curse."

Duo almost snorted. A curse? Who still believed in that sort of thing? But with the look that Wufei was giving him, he knew it was no joke. "What sort of curse?"

"What do you know of the Chinese Zodiac?"

'What the hell?' thought Duo. 'Fei is jumping from topic to topic so much it's hard to keep up.'

"That there are twelve animals including the Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Serpent, Horse, and Ram. One of these animals guide over the year and anyone born in that year is born in the year of that animal."

Wufei nodded. "It is said that those twelve animals and a cat got invited to a banquet. Before the banquet was held, the rat talked to the cat and convinced it that the banquet was going to be held on a different night. When the banquet finally arrived, all the animals, minus the cat, went to the banquet. It was there at the banquet that the animals became the members of the Zodiac."

"That's all and good, but what does that have to do with Hee-kun and the Sohmas?" Duo was starting to get impatient. Him getting impatient was never a good thing.

Wufei sighed. "Just listen and you'll find out."

"I would if you got to the point," Duo recounted.

"The Sohma's are placed under the Zodiac curse." At Duo's blank look, he continued. "Thirteen members of the Sohma family are directly under the curse. Each of these thirteen people represents one of the Zodiac animals and the cat. When these people come under a great deal of stress or are embraced by a member of the opposite sex, they transform into their animal. An uncertain amount of time later, usually ranging between five to ten minutes, the person changes back from their animal form into their human form." Wufei stopped here to let all of this sink in.

Duo nodded a while later, signaling that he was ready for more information.

"That day you set HQ on fire, a female preventer bumped into Yuy, causing him to turn into his animal form. Luckily, I was the only one to see it. I was able to grab Yuy and find a safe place for him to hide until he transformed back."

"So Hee-kun knew about this? That he could transform into an animal?" Duo asked in wonder.

"Yuy knew about his transformation but not the reason behind it. He knew nothing of the curse."

Duo looked at Wufei, a thought finally making itself known. "How do you know all of this?"

"How do you think I know all of this?" Wufei questioned back. "I'm a distant relation to the Sohmas. I'm also placed under this same curse."

"That's why Hitomi asked if both you and Hee-kun were staying." All of the pieces of the puzzle were falling together. Why Heero was looking up the Sohmas, why Wufei went with Heero on this trip, and those two being secretive. It all fit.

"Does anyone else know?" Duo asked.

"Not all of the Sohma's know of the curse, only those who are directly affected because of it," answered Wufei.

"Not them, the others. Ya know, Q, Tro, Sally, Lady Une, any of them?"

"None. Only you, Yuy, and myself."

A smile crept on Duo's face. "So which animal are you? If you're the rooster, you're not going to hear the end of this."

Wufei looked disgusted. "Don't be absurd Maxwell. What was the sign of my clan?"

"You're the Dragon! So do you really turn into a dragon?"

Wufei scowled.

"So, are you huge? Can you fly like dragons do in Chinese myths? And…"

"Maxwell, don't be ridiculous. If my form was huge when I transformed, do you really think the world wouldn't know about this? That you and the other wouldn't know of this? The same goes for flying."

"So that means you're small. Just how tall are you? When you're in your animal form?"

Wufei felt like bashing Maxwell's head in but was only refraining because Yuy would than kill him. "I don't know. I never bothered to measure." Maxwell started to open his mouth. "I also never bothered to look at myself. It has been years since I last transformed and I plan on keeping it that way."

Duo's mouth snapped shut. "So, what animal is Hee-kun?"

"Does it really matter, Maxwell?"

Before the conversation could go any further, Hitomi ran over to them. "What are you two talking about?"

Wufei glared down at the offending girl. While she may have caught Maxwell, she still wasn't on his good side. She was annoying and didn't know when to leave well enough alone. Then again, he already had to deal with one person like that. It was no wonder why he wasn't willing to deal with another.

"I'm checking on Yuy," Wufei said as he started to walk towards the house.

"Fei man, wait up for me," Duo called as he quickly caught up with Nataku's pilot. Hitomi didn't say anything, but she also ran to catch up with the two.

So, you gonna tell me man?" Duo asked.

"Tell you what?" Hitomi asked.

"That you're a braided baka that doesn't know when to back off?" Wufei answered.

"Hey!" Duo cried mockingly while Hitomi giggled. When Wufei stayed quiet, Duo continued. "So you're really not going to tell me?"

"It's not my place," Wufie countered. "Yuy holds that as dearly as you do with your past on L2."

Duo got the message. Heero had given Wufei permission to give the more important details while leaving the others aside. It was what he has done while giving others a brief glance in his past. Usually knowing that he came from L2 was enough for anyone to leave him alone when questioning his past. If others pressed forward, he would say that he used to live at the Maxwell Orphanage. No one but the other pilots and a few select others knew more than that. He understood not wanting others to discuss his past, his secrets, without him there.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**.

As everyone gathered together again in the living room Hitomi -sitting too close to Wufei for his own comfort- that she suggested they all stay over that night. "We couldn't possibly intrude on you," began Wufei while Duo grinned like an idiot and interrupted him with a loud "Oh yeah!"

Hitomi beamed while Memso, Heero and Wufei just sighed.

"There loads of rooms in these kinds of places, even though he chose one of the small ones to stay in." She chatted on to Duo while Heero wandered what exactly they were going to do all evening.

From what Heero had gathered, his paternal father was not the social sort which explained a few things. Though he doubted either Duo or Hitomi would be happy with a quiet night in reading, or writing up on his laptop.

"I suppose we could stay but I would need to go collect our bags first. I could pick up anything in town that may be needed." He offered as he stood up and moved over to his coat.

Memso nodded and looked in the direction of the kitchen, "we do need some milk… and I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to cook something good tonight. If I give you a list could you pick up the missing bits?"

It was an hour later, Memso had cooked and everyone was sitting once more, comfortably in the main living room. There was a comfortable silence in the room until Heero spoke, "Is it possible to ask about our family history? I have a few questions."

Memso sat up a bit, taking interest "yes of course! Some of the stories of our ancestors are quiet interesting. For example, did you know that-"

Heero held up a hand to hold the flow, for a moment, seeing that his father was an enthusiast for the subject. "I wanted to be particular."

"How so? Did you find something in your researching of us?"

There was a pause before he answered. "Yes. I found… reference to one of our ancestors, I was hoping you could enlighten me to any family story there may be about them." He paused as Memso nodded encouragingly, "it was a relative named Yuki Sohma."

Memso's eyes widened while Hitomi sat up stark straight in the chair her eyes hungry for information, opening her mouth "there is a rumour… " she murmured, watching Memso.

"I know you know it Mem, I saw you reading the old books that are kept by… Them. You were lucky to be Her favourite at one point."

Memso looked away from the group, out the window at the glowing sunset that was starting to take place. He seemed to come to a decision as looked over the group.

"Okay." He began, then smiled. "Just remember, what I tell you is all I know, so please bare with me if something's seem… vague or strange."

"Yuki Sohma was the Rat of the Zodiac back before the colonies. Back then the head of the family was called Akito and he was a cruel man, you can feel it when you read the words he wrote in the journals all head of the family must keep.

"You see, Yuki's parents practically **gave** there son to him when he was a child, with Akito being only a few years older, maybe 4 or 5? Anyway, he was obsessive with the Rat, about how perfect he should be and how he was the closed to…" he tittered "God."

"You see, the head of the family, is to us of the Zodiac, the God in the story. He is the one that calls us, guides us and rules us. And the Rat was the first to the banquet in the story."

He sighed heavily, "it's a shame you see, because since then, every head of the family has ignored the Rat as much as the Cat."

There was a pause he gathered his thoughts before continuing. "But there's another part of the story, you see, the Cat at the time was a boy name Kyo. And he had it just as hard at the Rat; his mother killed herself when he was a boy, taken on by a Dojo Master he was raised to hate the Rat and the Cat was vice versa.

"It's almost a tradition in our family to see them fighting constantly. But the one thing they never took into consideration was that the two would grow to become friends. You see they got to live outside of Sohma house with a relative called Shiguri, he was the dog back the. And then… a young girl called Tohru Honda came to live with them…came to know of the secret…"

Duos eyes perked up at hearing the name, her book still sitting in his bag in his room, next to Heero's bag.

"And… they became friends, with her kindness and warmth, it's said the for the first time in the history of the family, the Cat and the Rat didn't hate each other. But this infuriated Akito, he had the Cat locked up when he finished his schooling, as is traditional; but the Zodiac was close back then, they were all within the same ten years of being born and they were close. They hated him I think, so helped the Cat and the Rat escape!

"They defied our God…. To the point were he killed Tohru Honda."

There was silence as everyone stared at Memso, shock, horror and curiosity running threw all in the room. Memso was staring at a patch of floor as he spoke, trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible while he spoke so as to get all the words out.

"He… revelled in it."

"He had hated her since she arrived, she.. .took his Rat away from him and gave the Cat dreams of freedom in his life. She gave the entire suffering Zodiac a chance to think that life could be better, that they could be normal and accepted, and Akito had worked so hard to make them all fear him, to make them obey his every word without thinking… to fear him."

"After Tohru died, he quickly re-captured the Cat and the Rat. Locking them both up in rooms that are still in Sohma house today, they are never used but everyone knows that bad things happened in those rooms. I mean, the Cats cage has never changed but those forced to dwell there, say that sometimes at night they see a figure in the corner of the room, looking out of the bars.

"Its just superstition but… They both died within three years of being re-captured…"

There was silence as he finished speaking and those in the room thought deeply on the loose that those two had felt.

"They lost there freedom and there acceptance in one go," murmured Duo, his eyes out of focus. "Being accepted for who and what you are.. Its more important that some think."

"For us, acceptance is hard." Whispered Hitomi, drying her eyes.

Heero nodded, "that explains much… because you see, I went to one of the summer houses to try and get an idea of the family. And I found this."

He showed them the book he had brought down with them.

"Oh my…" Gasped Memso once he was told what it was.


	25. Chapter 25: Yuki's Diary

-1My name is Yuki Sohma, Member of the Zodiac…

And what I have to write here is my account on my life, it is like a diary but I can't keep a day to day diary without forgetting about it. Every day is the same as the last while every day presents a new problem that I have to work round to keep the days as constant as they are. So this is more of a stress relief or something to write my worries in without having to keep bothering Ms Honda.

I live in the house with the Dog, Shiguri who is my cousin while I attend a mixed high school and try to lead a normal life and escape the irritations and restrictions of my family, I'd only been living with him for a year when we found Ms. Honda living in our woods. She was basically homeless while her grandfather had his house renovated, so we offered her one of our spare rooms in exchange for house cleaning. Its shameful to admit, even in here, that at Sohma house we have a small army of cleaners, cousins that need the money or outsiders who come into the grounds or live there already. So I've never had to worry about anything outside the boundaries of my own bedroom.

So when she turned up, the kitchen was in a sorry state with a layer of dust covering almost everything else.

She was so modest about it and personally I think she loves cleaning and cooking for us, as she's always looking for new recipes to feed us.

Of course she had been with us barely a day when guess who had to turn up. That stupid Cat.

This is a new book and I'm giving the bare basics so as to remind myself if I find this in later years, but I don't want to dwell on the past as that would negate the reasons of my moving to Shiguri' house. But I cannot escape mentioning my history with the cat.

With the Zodiac story weighting heavily on how people judge us as we grow up, especially as I am the Rat and he is the Cat. We were raised to hate each other.

But I refused to believe he was so horrible as people made him out to be, the Cat has always been rejected by the family and seen as bad, so when he first met as children I tried to be nice to him. I had hoped that too would have tried when we first met… It was summer and I was wandering around in one of the gardens, in one of my few moments away from Akito, when we bumped into each other, of course after introduction we realised who we were and he started shouting at me. Blaming everything in his life on me.

I was told there was something really horrible about the Cat, but he had seemed so nice to me, of course we were both six and so was He. He saw us greeting each other before the Cat ran off shouting, I believe it amused him.

I was punished and told that if I spoke to the Cat again and was caught we would both get the same punishment. This terrified me and I tried to avoid him from then on for his own good, but not long after I heard his mother died. I still don't know how it happened and I don't dare to ask him. I felt guilty even back then of the fun we had had together and how he needed someone to play with, but I couldn't. He disappeared for a while and I didn't see him again until I took up marshal arts training to help with my asthma and health problems.

Of course, by then we had grown and were both twisted by our families views on how we should act to one another. He blamed the way people treated him on me and when I tried to speak to him during one of our training practises, his famous anger swirled up and that was it.

We've been fighting ever since.

He disappeared again for a few months before making his appearance at Shiguri' house and for some reason I'm not quiet sure of still He made him live with us. I think it was to put pressure on me, not let me form any sort of close relationship with Ms. Honda by introducing a rival.

But Ms. Honda wasn't like that, she accepted us for the way we were and loved us for it, if anything it spoiled His plan by letting us put our barriers down around each other. We still fight and argue but… it's started to change. We no longer fight because we hate one another.

There are moments when we are tense and angry but there are moments when… its… fun!

------

I've been made Student Council President.

I… was hesitant to begin with, unsure how people would view me and afraid that people would see me for what I believed I was. I believed my self to be weak and useless, selfish in my politeness to people and the my enjoyment of having friends. Although, little Kisa put me to shame there, my little Tiger cousin was being bullied in school and needed someone to help her speak again before she could brave her class mates again.

Ms. Honda was there again, showing her that she really did like her the way she was, she once again accepted her and Kisa was able to get her voice back and face school. It also helped me get the courage to face being head of the student council.

Of course that isn't the only thing that is bothering me. Its that Cat again.

He is everywhere I go and in everything I do now, we even share the same class and home. I hate the fact that he is constantly there, in the way of my relationship with Ms. Honda. But that is what he is here for right?

But… I think… would miss him if he was too leave…

------

My stupid bother, the Snake, just won't get the hint when I don't want him here.

He annoys me to no end and there just no getting through to him, and Shiguri is always there encouraging him and they are just loud and annoying and crude and and and ….. So much like Ayami that there's no way to change him.

Ms. Honda said that she told him about meeting halfway with me, trying to understand something we both might have an interest. Personally I don't think there will ever be an area where we both agree on. He likes that Cat for gods sake, he calls him Lucky-Kyo. Personally I could think of other people more deserving on that title as the stupid Cat hasn't been lucky in very much.

Maybe I should try this halfway thing with Kyo, I know he's not really that bad, just there are times he really annoys me by jumping to anger when I'm trying to just talk to him. Maybe he is worried by my relaxing around him now compared to the image he has been force fed by the family and in his own mind of me?

------

Last night… it was… I never knew…. When the family always said there was something horrible with the cat, I thought they meant the fact he was always shunned. Never accepted. They never meant it was horrible to BE the cat! It was-

[added after this, different ink, same hand.

Sorry, I was very disorientated and tired last night, I thought that I should try and write it down but the pain in my arm and shoulder, coupled with Shiguri AND Tohru's insistence that I sleep… I had to stop and now I'm continuing, al-bet slowly due to the shoulder wound and its stiff as hell this morning.

But Kyo has already come up and apologised, he offered to bring up a cut of tea and some pain killers from Hatori, the Doctor Dragon. He found it hard to look me in the eye after he woke me up but I wasn't horrible about it, I was polite to him because he didn't deserve my cruelty after last night.

I have been thinking since then, and last night.

I had never known of the Cats Curse.

But once it was made clear to me, I had to go and help him.

He was out of his mind with grief and I can see when his mom killed herself now, she had never done as we have done. He not only needed Tohru to help him, he needed me to understand and accept him as he was. To accept him for what he was, even thought I was afraid.

After he had ran off and Tohru had disappeared, I was thinking, who was it that said the Cat had to hate the Rat and vice-versa. It was Them! That stupid family that birthed us with this curse! And now look at us. We've been living together for nearly ten months.

If he was never to have come back after he ran off, I would have missed him so badly… I still need to talk to him properly and its obvious he is going to feel guilty for injuring me. But I'm not scared of him and I…. I want to be his friend. Not just his cousin.

----

Good times to tell, I want to mark when I heard this.

It has been a month since the trouble I last wrote of, and I forgot to finish off that day. Ms. Honda asked to see Him and she spoke to him with compassion and kindness he hasn't known before, birthing the Heart of the Curse means that the person has an shorter lifespan and is often very sickly finding it hard to get out and be like normal people due to the responsibilities of being Head of the Family.

I'm not sure if they are all like Him, but I think that his mother dying young and constantly being treated as something delicate that is about to break while being given everything he wants. Due to our culture and his position, since he was born he has never been treated like a child and held by a parent, he has always been bowed to and obeyed.

I think it has twisted him.

And with Ms. Honda showing him such kindness even as he was threatening her…

Well, he has changed somehow and hasn't mentioned us for a while. I can only hope that I am finally free of Him.

But the good news!

It seems, my younger cousin Hatsoharu, the Cow, has finally fallen for someone else! Well, the Cow is another of those with a reason to hate the Rat seeing as the tale says the Rat rode on the Cows back, but we became friends. He has a very poor sense of direction and gets lost very easily, but due to his hatred of the Rat his biggest problem is that he has become… well Black and White.

Every now and then when he is annoyed he flips out and becomes black Haru. Of course, sometimes its amusing to watch him like that sometimes, especially when he is beating on Kyo and starting a fight. He's not as good as Kyo.

But it seems that he and Ms. Tohru's friend, Hana have fallen in love with each other. I was always suspect that Ms. Hana was in love with Ms. Honda but it seems that even if she is, she is content to be with Haru. She is sometimes very creepy with a quiet voice and a habit of talking about electrical waves and her physic powers, but it seems that Haru really likes that.

It was quiet amusing pairing them up together because Ms. Hana confessed to Ms. Honda first and Haru then told me after I was talking to him one day and it was only a fact of getting them together and involved. But it turns out they were both really shy.

Kyo helped as well, luring Haru there while Ms. Honda directed Ms. Hana. I had a council meeting so could only sit there and wait until it was over and see if the plan worked.

Thankfully Hana is not a clingy person so he didn't have to straight away tell her about the curse and we don't have to sit there embraced while they are together.

As for Kyo… I'm starting to worry… we are friends now, we can have conversations that don't turn into fights all the time. Although, yes, we do fight together, but it's for training now and enjoyment.

Maybe I need to put a bit of distance between us… I think-

-----

No!

He has… He! The one who is head of this Wretched family has done something that is… inhuman! He has always had too much of a desire for me, first it seemed that he had to test the one who was the Rat, to make sure I was as good as rumours said I had to be.

But as the years went on and I lived there with his torments and punishments, he began to see me as something he could take comfort in. Someone who would do the things he told him too and was too scared to disobey or question the things he told me to do.

I was told to never tell the adults.

He… what he did before was nothing to now… He allowed Kyo to attend the New Years Party for the first time in history by request of me and Ms. Honda who was allowed to stay at Sohma house and meet those of the family who were interested in meeting her still and hadn't had the chance.

She did enjoy it.

Kyo was so happy at being invited he actually brought me a Christmas present.. Although it was a bit late, he said he forgot to give it to me. I think he didn't know how to say thank you with out loosing his macho look.

But the price… I'm wandering if its too high…

It still hurts and I have to be careful no one sees till I'm fully healed.

----

I have a problem.

I don't know what to do.

I… I think I like him now… and I mean more than just a friend.

It snuck up on me, when I wasn't thinking I noticed I was staring at him while he was training and my mind was away. I was enjoying watching him.

I've got nothing wrong with finding men attractive, but Why this one?!

The Bastard at the main house has summoned me back there twice in the four months since new years and the last time I was there… well… it was unexpected.

Kyo was curious as to why I was going to main house when I had previously that week mentioned how I hate going there because I bump into certain people but I didn't state anything about Him. Kyo just assumed I meant my brother Ayami.

So when He summoned me, the Cat followed and when saw me go into His house. He took me to the room where he had used to punish me as a child and it was just the same as before. Problem was, he was so anxious to get started he didn't see that he had left the door open.

He… started… hitting me with the whip again… and… Kyo saw.

Kyo pulled his hood up over his head as He wouldn't recognise him, and ran in, grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder and ran.

I was impressed that he ran half way to Shiguri' house before he stopped to rest and speak to me.

"I never knew you had troubles like that" He had said finally, after he had pulled his hood off, looking down at me sitting on the ground. I had been hoping at the time that it was an unknown servant that had saved me. One or two had stood up for me in the past… I still don't know what happened to them.

But he looked down at me, as I sat on the grass, breathing as deeply as he was but from shock and pain as my back started to bleed freely from the lashings. He had been very excited about it this time and I think he had planned something more than he had done before! I shake in fear about what it might have been. But back to the conversation we had had, if I think about it too long I'll get nightmares again.

"I never knew of the curse, we all have our secrets." I hadn't been able to look him in the face and there had been a silence and he had sat next to me.

"We… we are friends now aren't we?" He had asked, tentatively, almost scared I would reject him as he thought I would on That Night. I had smirked a bit at his question thought, it made him so venerable to me.

I had always believe after a while, that if he didn't hate me he would have nothing left to do with his life, that he'd be at a loose end; his hatred has been what's kept him going, if he doesn't seem to need the hatred, maybe Tohru has had more of an effect that I thought.

"Yes Kyo, we are friends." I had paused and managed to look at him as I felt the blood reach my waist band of my jeans.

"Then why didn't you tell me what he was doing to you in the main house?" I can't tell if he was hurt or shocked by the fact I hadn't told him of what I was enduring. It is twisted that I view this as the way He has always treated me, it seems normal to be made to believe that I am worthless and nothing.

"Its been going on for years Kyo, he only stopped when I had moved to Shiguri' house."

"Then why has it started again? You've done nothing wrong!"

"Yes I have."

"What?!"

"I'm the Rat and I call the Cat one of my closest friends. I broke tradition by inviting him finally to the party he spent centuries missing. I am a shame to the Zodiac." As I spoke I knew I was starting to shake, I was topless in the woods and it was still only spring.

Kyo didn't say anything but I think he was touched by what I had said and what I was going threw.

"I'm sorry," he said at last, "I… don't go again, even if this is normal to you and him… not without me at least. Even if you have to go through this, at least let me look after you afterwards, as a thank you for our friendship"

Looking back this is quiet strange for anything but my family.

----

Haru and Hana are still together and are getting serious. She does know of the curse now but He doesn't have to know and we are all keeping it to ourselves. I worry the loud mouth Hiro, the Sheep, will tell Him as he once told Him about his own feelings for Kisa. But Kisa will not let him, she thinks Haru and Hana are so lovely together.

It seems strange that the animals of the Zodiac, bonded to our God and cursed to be re-born, have in this generation, bonded together against our god. I cannot account for the older three but all of us fear him and his quick temper.

But Ms. Honda can't get over it and she loves to talk about how sweet they are together and recently been commenting on how Kyo and I are getting along really well. It's been three months since that day in the woods and I've not been to main house since. Its our secret.

I really have to start writing in this more often than every few months… We're only friends. I fear anything more.

----

Its getting too much.

I can't stop thinking about that Cat! Its driving me up the wall.

I've started to confide in him when I can't tell Ms. Honda, she still helps us with our problems but I worry about telling her about my affection for Kyo and not her. I worry if she loves me more than just a friend.

But hanging around with Kyo, even when I don't have to.

Even at school, he's nearly as popular as I am and we're near to finishing, one year left.

I can't stop thinking about his deep red eyes and the way the sun catches them.

Tohru seems to be more like a mother to me than any chance of a girlfriend…

Why?

----

[The next page is written in a different hand

Yuki, We need to talk. I have a problem and I didn't mean to read this book but it was open and its made my problem even worse!

[signed with a kitty paw

----

Why can't things go back to the way they used to be before? When it was just me and Shiguri? Nothing against Ms. Honda but she is not helping my decision to keep things separate.

The Cat and the Rat can never be together!

He knows we cannot be anything more than friends.

What does he mean that 'he thinks he likes me too'? In my book, its only musing and thoughts when things are bothering me or when it gets too much in my mind. Even good things I like to write down too like Hana and Haru who are still together, it's got to be a year soon?

But… I need to talk to Tohru.

----

WOW!

I honestly thought I had lost this book!!

It has been one roller coaster of a year!

I've just finished school, along with Tohru and Kyo and we're planning to tour China and see our relatives over there, the Chang's. They have a few holiday homes we share between us both and it'll be good to get to know our distant cousins, Tohru is really excited because she's coming too, even though she'll miss Uo and Hana, who is Still with Haru and I think they are planning to live together once he finishes school.

But… I have hopes… once we are in China, Kyo and I will be able to…

We both talked to Tohru all those months ago and she told us that we could try and be just friends if that's what we thought we should do, but she would try and be with the person she liked. But with us it was harder and that if we chose to be together then we had to keep it secret between us, her and Shiguri. Because Shiguri was trust worthy and we still live in his house.

So… since then all we've managed is… a fair amount of flirting and compliments… with presents… and a few stolen kisses….

We're leaving in two weeks.

----

China is so amazing!

The languages are sometimes hard to understand because there isn't just one language, there are loads of variations in different dialects and areas, Japan is a bit strange depending on north and south but China is so much bigger!

Its amazing all the things we've seen, the Chang's are so nice to us. It turns out they have Zodiac members too, the Rooster and the Horse are here, and I had never really thought to wander why I'd never met them except new years. There houses are as beautiful as ours are too, they have many traditional buildings as Sohma house does.

Not to mention, Torhu, Kyo and I are getting closer friends being here together, it doesn't feel weird walking down the street holding both Kyo and Tohru's hand as we go.

No one here is judgemental at all either, there are even a few gay couples living together at the Chang's main estate.

…

But then again, no one over here is as cursed as we are, Akito has no power here.

I will admit there are times I wake up in the night, afraid that Akito is standing over my bed waiting to grab me and punish me. I don't mention these dreams to Kyo, he's so happy right now.

----

Its been so long…. It feels like so long.

Three months have passed since that trip to China and everything is so different now…

Once we returned, Kyo was taken by force and imprisoned in the Cat's Cage.

I was moved from Shiguri's house with almost as much force while Shiguri could do nothing but stand by and try not to get involved. He helped me to pack, telling me to keep my chin up and not to worry, that he and Tohru would visit everyday.

It hurts to be here.

It is different to the first time.

Akito likes me to know I'm inside his cage, I am no longer confined inside a single room, I'm allowed to wander were I wish, thought the unspoken words there were "so long as you don't visit that cat". We are lucky in the least, he thinks we are only just friends due to our ability to argue and fight constantly even while being in love close friends.

I've been moved to my new perminate rooms, opposite Akito's and Shiguri and Tohru have yet to visit me here, although Momiji thought he saw them in Sohma house, no one else says they did.

---

It seems this little book is going to get more use than I thought it would reading back threw it. Two days have passed since I last wrote and I've been to see Kyo.

He looks so… stressed and thin. He trains still while in there, but he barely has any appetite anymore for the food they bring and longs only for his freedom. The cat was never made to be locked up, that is the Gods fear of them. All of them, threw the ages have done this and no one knows why, past the fact that his Other form is hard to look past.

He says Tohru has been in to see him but Akito won't let her see me, sending her away so that she has to be sneaked into the compound but everyone is too afraid of Akito right now to risk letting me know she is here. I understand.

For someone constantly ill, his punches hurt.

I'm out shopping tomorrow and Haru has said he'll 'mention' it to 'a friend of a friend' for me. I was so grateful for his kindness at that moment…

Its hard in here.

At least Akito doesn't seem to be keen on his wipe right now.

---

I have an hour to kill before the plan goes down and I need to look normal for the rest of the time while Akito is still awake, so I'm appearing to be writing or drawing in a book.

It has been a month since my last entry. I thought I would have nothing to do with my time, but little Ms Honda had other plans. She mentioned she wants to find a cure for us all and Hana decided to do some digging with her little brother on Curses. For some reason they seem to know more about these things than most.

She mentioned in passing something about getting "ill waves" from Akitos houses when she visited one time to meet Haru's parents.

So Tohru told me what Hana could find out, about where the information may be hidden and how it might be worded. Also clues to what it may be.

The Sohma's are not the first to be cursed like this, though it seems we are the reason for the story of the Zodiac I believe and I think that is were the ill spirit of the Cat came from, turning what must have once been a blessing into a curse.

I shouldn't write about our plan but I still have another forty minuets left.

Shiguri, Hatori and my brother are all involved in the plan in there various forms.

Hatori is going to check on Akito and dose him to sleep tonight while Shiguri will come in and will talk to various people about things like money and keeping quiet. While Ayame will help us once we are out of the walls.

He came up with the plan when he and Shiguri were trying to cheer up an upset Tohru. It stuck in her mind, once we found out the right information on the curse, we would make good our escape and try and break the curse.

I was the one that had to do the hunting while visiting Kyo to give him updates and things to hide in his room. There are papers that only the Head of the family may look at or know of. I have slowly been stealing, copying and smuggling these to him; they are giving us both hope and if nothing else we have illegal access to the Sohma families main Account.

But Akito never looks into that safe, and it was the work of a moment to ask a rat to spy on him and tell me when he looks in, and what the code is to get inside.

Inside I found an acient book, it was… an old manuscript and I flicked threw it.

…

I have found the cure.

I need time to read and understand it.

But Akito will be opening his safe to check upon its contents in three days time and, although I've put a replacement inside… if he opens it before I've had a chance to replace the original he'll know its me.

…

Twenty minuets left.

I'm all packed with my essentials except this book and the photo of me, Tohru and Kyo I keep on my desk.

…

We break out and run, Tohru will meet us up in two days time, to try and make it look more legitimate and less like we planned it with her. Shiguri says he will try and keep her safe.

----

We are at the airport.

Its four AM and we're going to be boarding on our plane to China soon.

Ayame phoned one of our cousins that we made friends with over there, asking to pick us up and tell no one what was happening.

Kyo is next to me. He's still pale and gaunt looking but there's a smile on his face that I haven't seen for so long now…

We'll all be free soon….

I know we're running away and that running is weak but…

Don't we deserve happiness too?

---------------------

NO!

[there are tear splats on the page and the writing is shaky

How could he do that?! Of all the things….. Why……

Ms. Tohru Honda is dead.

It seems so strange and easy to write, but it hurts… I only received a package from her this morning!

The official verdict is that she fell down the stairs at Shiguris house while no one was is and died of a broken neck but Shiguri said he pushed her. He was there, while he had gone to hand in a manuscript and he had harassed her on where we had gone and…

Shiguri was crying down the phone…

He… Aki…

Kyo is on the roof of our summer house. It's two stores tall and mid autumn but he's still up there.

We've only been here 36 hours… why….

Tohru….

----

It seems that Akito has gotten worse at home.

We get e-mails from the family still, it has been only 2 weeks since we left the entire Zodiac is suffering!! I almost wish we had never left!

Haru has been beaten up, Hiro is in hospital, Shiguri has been forced to move back into the main compound and there's nothing that anyone can seem to do to calm him down. And now he is having fits because he is pushing himself so far.

I only can pray that… things will calm down the longer we are gone.

Kagura mentioned to Akito that we might return if Kyo could be freed from the cage… he broke her jaw.

…

…. I love you Kyo.

----

He's here!

Shiguri

Cracked

Told him

Must hide….


	26. Chapter 26

[Note: sorry for such a long gap My co-writer was swamped under by her work load and my computer decided to throw a fit and had to be sent away for repairs. So, once again, I'm sorry for such a long gap. Could all the happy fans please review some support for my co-writer, RandomFanGirl247. Happy New Year!

**Chapter 26**

Everyone sat in silence, letting Yuki's words sink into their being, their core. Yuki had come alive when the diary was read. They had felt what he had, had hoped for his hope, felt sad at his loss. It felt as if Yuki was standing there telling them of his past himself and not by someone reading his words and thoughts. Yuki had been brought back to life for those few precious moments.

Duo took the diary out of Heero's hand, turning to the last pages. "There's no more, nothing to tell us what happened after Yuki and Kyo returned."

"But if what Memso said is true, Yuki and Kyo both died three years later," softly added Wufei.

"Kyo returned to his cage. Yuki most likely didn't fare much better himself," Heero thought.

"If those last entries were anything to go by, Akito was a force to reckon with," supposed Duo.

Wufei snorted. "You're one to talk. You and Akito could both do well with anger management classes."

Heero gave a small smirk.

"At least I haven't taken it out on undeserving people," Duo defended.

Wufei thought it was best not to bring up Duo being in Shinigami mode back when Heero told Duo he couldn't tag along on this trip. "I want to find out more about this Akito person and the other people Yuki mentioned, especially Tohru and Kyo."

"Perhaps a trip to this Shigure's house will be in order," Heero mused.

"Like hell you're going to be leaving me behind this time," Duo declared.

"I don't think my apartment could handle it," said Wufei. "It still is in one piece, right Maxwell?"

"It's still standing."

Memso and Hitomi looked at each other at the way the three guests were interacting with one another. Their mannerisms suggested that they knew each other well, faults and all.

"Do you mind if I borrow Yuki's diary?" Memso asked.

Heero nodded, thinking back to what he found upstairs while Memso was out. Memso took the diary, handling it like the valued treasure it was, and settled in a chair to reread Yuki's diary and ponder what was learned.

Much to Wufei's ire, Hitomi decided to stay close to him. Hitomi had taken a liking to him and it didn't seem like she would leave him alone. If this was what she was like constantly, it was no wonder why Memso had greeted him and Heero the way he had.

Hitomi, upon standing, had grabbed his hand and was now trying to pull Wufei up from his seat. Too bad Wufei had no intention from moving from that spot. He raised an eyebrow. "Ready to give up yet?"

Hitomi just smiled. "Not on your life. Now… get… up." Once again, she was pulling with all of her strength to try and get Wufei up while her struggles became less forcible. Soon, she was slightly panting from the effort. Wufei just made himself more comfortable while smirking on getting one up of the girl pestering him.

Meanwhile, Heero and Duo had left the room and headed upstairs. If one were to look for them, one would have to wonder down the upstairs hallway and enter the fourth door on the right. Inside that room, Duo wasn't paying any attention to what Heero was saying, which was getting on Heero's nerves.

"Duo," Heero voice was a warning in and of itself. "Just how long have you been following Wufei and me?"

Duo gave that coy smile of his. "Um… not that long. But guess what I found."

Heero gave Duo a mild to medium glare. "And why did you feel the need to follow and spy on me?"

Duo flopped down on his bed. Clearly, he wasn't getting anywhere with Heero until Heero had his rant with him. Might as well as get this over with so he could share his discovery.

"Because you've been so damn secretive lately. You were hiding something from me. What was I suppose to do when you weren't talking to me but rather Fei? You two were being all secretive, sharing those looks and all. What was I suppose to do? But I guess I would keep it on the down low too if I didn't want anyone to know that I changed into an animal."

Duo could see some of the fire die within Heero. "And then finding out about how that curse affects both you and Fei and how it affected that Yuki character, I would hide the fact too."

Heero walked over to the bed Duo was on and sat on the edge. "I learned more while Wufei was sharing our secret with you, about my mother and about the… cat."

Duo moved so he was sitting next to Heero, his arm going around Heero's tense shoulders, holding his lover close. "Are you the thirteenth animal than? The cat?"

Heero gave a short nod. "Things haven't changed much from when Kyo was alive. If what Memso said is true, T'lenna won't stop until the Cat is back under her watch."

"T'lenna?" Duo asked.

"She is the head of the Sohmas."

"She is going to want to meet both you and Fei." Realization dawned on Duo. "And she'll want to know which animals you two turn into. If she finds out…"

"But she won't. We just have to make sure that we leave no suspicion about me being the cat, she can't have any suspicion that I have the mark."

"The mark?" Duo asked. "What mark?"

Heero turned to look at Duo. "The cat is cursed with two forms. The first is being a cat. The second…" Heero took a deep breath. "The second form is why the cat is hated and caged. When the cat looses the mark, it transforms into a monster and will remain in that form until the mark is returned."

"What is this mark?"

Heero looked down to his right foot where the bracelet was hidden by his sock. He pulled up his leg and lowered the sock just long enough for Duo to get a clear view of the white and black beaded bracelet worn as an anklet. "No one can know of this."

Duo started to run his hand up and down Heero's arm, trying to sooth his lover's nerves. His hand soon found Heero's and he gave it a squeeze, silently letting Heero know that all would be okay.

Heero drank up the comfort that Duo was offering. So often he was the strong one, the one that everyone turned to. Not that he would ever admit it, but sometimes it was nice to take a break from being the pillar of strength and seek comfort from others.

"Hey, Heero?" Duo asked quietly.

Heero tried to move from his position of leaning on Duo's shoulders but stopped when Duo held him there.

"I uh.. sorta followed you and Fei to that summer house."

Heero closed his eyes, not out of regret but of weariness, wondering what other surprises his lover had for him.

"I found Tohru's diary."

Heero's eyes snapped open. "What?"

"It's in my bag. Ya know, at first I thought that Tohru chick was crazy, talking about how people turned into animals. I don't think she's so crazy now though."

"Did you find anything else?"

"Just a few pictures. You and Fei picked the rest of the place clean."

"Does anyone else know about Tohru's diary?" Heero asked as he finally sat up. He then retrieved the diary from Duo's bag.

Duo smiled. "Give me some credit. Ya know, when I'm good, I'm good."

Heero couldn't help but to stop and think about some of the exploits concerning the braided pilot. "Just try not to go into Shinigami mode."

Heero received a pillow sailing towards his head for his effort.


End file.
